The Doctor and the Baller
by Zoe-eoZ
Summary: Basketball AU. Bonnie joins the medical staff of new NBA team New Orleans Hybrids with its owner Klaus Mikaelson. While Caroline is excited for her, Bonnie struggles with a crush on star player Damon - and with a certain troubled bench player... Benzo / Bonenzo, a little bit of Klaroline; Denzo and Klenzo troubled friendships. Trigger warning added
1. New Job

…

_The Basketball AU no one requested, yet here we are - because I need to get it out of my head. No idea where it will lead, if anywhere._

_You could maybe blame (thank? lol) Danilo Gallinari of the LA Clippers for this. Because he reminds me of Enzo… Handsome guy with a fun Italian name and a cute accent (in this case Italian...)_

_..._

_If you haven't checked out Michael Malarkey's music by the way, I'd urge you to give it a shot. Start with "Uncomfortably Numb", "Feed the Flames", "I just want you", and "Mongrels" maybe. I picked them to be the soundtrack to this fic, with the first one being the overall theme._

_You can find them all on Spotify and YouTube. Guy deserves so many more views / listens for sure! (But I'm currently fangirling out again...)_

_..._

_EDIT: I'm adding a trigger warning, just to be cautious. (Soft spoilers below)_

_ This story morphed into something a little different than I thought and there's a triggery relationship of a grown up and a minor involved - if nothing graphic - as well as a suicide. Tread carefully if you do find yourself reading this fic. Thank you._

* * *

…

**The Doctor and the Baller**

…

* * *

...

Bonnie's hands were shaking as she held the letter in one, grappling with her phone with the other.

"Please tell me-"

"Caroline, I got the job!" she blurted out before her friend on the other end had a chance to finish her sentence. "I got the friggin' job!

"Oh my gosh!" the blonde screamed with excitement, briefly calming down to ask, "You mean you'll be part of the medical staff for the New Orleans Hybrids?!

Bonnie could barely get the words out. "Yes!" she said, her whole body ready to explode with a mix of nervous and happy anticipation. "I'm going to be part of a pro basketball organization's medical team!"

"Eeeeekh! This is so amazing, Bonnie! I'm so happy for you! Oh my gosh, I'm fangirling right now, but you'll have to get me in there one day. The owner is insanely hot!"

Bonnie had to giggle. Caroline was referring to Niklaus Mikaelson, of course. The man was a well known investor, who, fed up with the way the other big New Orleans basketball team was treated under the roof of a larger organization, had decided to build his own team.

Two years later, the new team had earned a little more respect than anyone had initially wanted to grant them, after they had almost made the playoffs - which was when they had appeared on Bonnie Bennett's radar.

She had finished medical school a few months before and had been ready to enter the "real world" as she liked to refer to it, when she had realized that she didn't want to work at a hospital, that she was looking for something a little different.

…

"I wanna see the world a bit and live a little, and not just see the inside of a hospital all day," she had told Caroline one evening when they had met for some ice cream and their favorite TV show, and her best friend had given her a contemplating look as she had gotten the TV ready.

A brief special and an interview with Klaus Mikaelson had appeared on the screen and Caroline had given her a sheepish sideways glance.

"Do you mind watching this for a moment?"

Bonnie had scrunched up her face. "Basketball? Really? I thought you were into Football, if anything..."

Caroline had shrugged, grinning embarrassedly. "I might have a crush on this guy." She had pointed at the TV with her remote.

"Niklaus Mikaelson, owner of the New Orleans Hybrids," Bonnie had read off the screen. "Really? He your type?" She had made a face, instantly annoyed with the man's grating accent and arrogant demeanor. But Caroline had beamed.

Bonnie had laughed at how much her friend seemed to be smitten with the man, until her gaze had landed on the team that had been practicing in the background. A lot of tall handsome men, but one of them had stuck out, and her heart had skipped a beat. She felt herself flush when the camera suddenly panned right on to him, the interviewer asking a question.

"How has your experience been with the Hybrids so far, Mr. Salvatore?"

He grinned into the camera, all bright eyes and dashing looks and Bonnie had berated herself for thinking of him in way inappropriate ways. Had she just developed a crush on a freaking baller?

"Oh gosh, I have an idea," Caroline had suddenly blurted out, before she could hear much of the man's handsome voice, and her friend had been grabbing her arm with an excited expression. "I read somewhere that they're rebuilding their entire medical team and are looking specifically for someone well-versed in physical therapy!"

Bonnie's focus had been physical therapy…

She had scoffed to the point of snorting. "Yeah, right. Let me apply to work for a professional basketball team…"

But the idea had somehow stuck.

And she and Caroline had begun to watch almost all of the games of the Hybrids together…

…

Now here she was, months later, and her application had really been accepted. It was hard to believe. Soon she would probably meet Mr. Damon Salvatore himself. Her face felt hot at the mere thought. Not that she'd have the slightest chance of…

_No, Bonnie Bennett_, she stopped herself right there. _Be professional, girl. _

But it would be so nice to actually see him, in person.

"We'll have to celebrate," Caroline was saying now, "tonight. At the Mystic Grill. I'll persuade Matt to turn on the game for us! Oh Bonnie, this is gonna be amazing!"

They hung up soon after, and Bonnie flopped down on her bed, all shaken up from the news. But in a good way. Her dream was coming true. She was going to be a medical assistant for the Hybrids. She'd earn way more than she could have ever hoped for, she'd get special benefits, and she'd meet all the players. She'd meet _him._ Damon Salvatore, the greatest new talent in the NBA right now, and the most handsome one, too…

With a smile on her face she fell back on the bed, staring up at the ceiling, daydreaming.

* * *

…

Later, at the Grill, they were all watching the game together, celebrating Bonnie's new job at the same time. She was two drinks in, probably openly ogling at Damon whenever he appeared on the screen, but she didn't care if anyone noticed. It was the perfect evening.

The Hybrids were 13 points up by the end of the third quarter, with Damon having played the largest role in the game so far, and she loved seeing his best scenes replayed over and over. It was hard to imagine that she'd soon meet him in the flesh. A surreal feeling.

Bonnie was having a blast watching him play. She was smiling and laughing whenever Caroline fangirled over Niklaus Mikaelson, who could be seen jumping out of his seat every so often, clearly invested in the game.

"Did you hear that?" Caroline touched her arm, beaming, "He's the youngest owner in the league…"

"Wipe that drool off your face, girlfriend!" Bonnie commented, and they both broke into a laugh.

Matt shook his head. "And here I thought you girls were more into football, what with all the cheerleading and-"

Caroline waved him off. "Things have changed," she told him and while they all kept grinning, it was quite obvious what she had meant. Ever since her breakup with her former boyfriend Tyler, who had gone on to play college football, she had stopped caring about the sport.

Before the mood could tip, however, Bonnie saw Damon make the winning shot, a buzzer beater to boot, and she whooped happily, distracting her friends that way. The perfect ending to a perfect night. The Hybrids had won. _Her _team had won. She still couldn't quite believe it.

"Tomorrow is my first day!" she said, looking at her friends, and a smiling Elena nudged her lightly, just as Caroline asked, "You think you'll already get to see the players tomorrow?"

"These guys get injured so often, she's bound to see them," Matt stated drily, speaking from experience.

"This is not football, Matt." Elena grinned, giving him a soft kiss on the cheek as he made a face.

"No, but basketball can be pretty intense too. Bon will probably have to attend their practice sessions and get her fair share of dealing with scrapes and bruises."

"Hopefully nothing too serious. We don't wanna lose any of these guys while we still have a chance to get into the playoffs!"

Bonnie snorted at hearing Caroline talk like that. About sports. About basketball! As if it had always been her great passion.

"Alright, you lovely people. I need to get going now if I want to make a good impression tomorrow. Can't appear with a hangover and yesterday's clothes…" Bonnie grinned as she slowly got up, grabbing her purse as she went.

Caroline gave her a quick hug, and a kiss. "So so happy for you, Bonnie. I really am. Aw, this is gonna be so fun!"

* * *

…

Bonnie still had Caroline's voice in her head when she stood by the court on the next day, watching these too tall guys practicing their shots and working on their strength.

The whole thing was awe inspiring. She had been picked up by one of her new coworkers, a kind if stressed seeming guy named Luke, who was one of the physical therapists, and he had quickly shown her around.

"And here we are," he now said as if this was the highlight of the tour, and when she saw Damon Salvatore run past, with a light smirk playing across his features as his gaze briefly landed on her, she couldn't deny that this really was the highlight.

Her knees grew wobbly.

"Don't get too excited. Lots of our work here includes taking care of minor cuts and bruises, way below our qualifications, but if any of our players ever get seriously injured - which God forbid won't happen - then we're there for their surgeries and therapies."

"Wow." She rolled her eyes at herself when that was all she could come up with. Bonnie Bennett was star struck, and how embarrassing was that?

"Watch out!" Luke called out suddenly, pulling her away with him as Damon and another tall guy came tumbling and falling in their direction after one too rough interaction.

"Guys! Watch it," someone said, maybe the coach? And Bonnie felt her heart beat faster when Damon got up, helping his teammate up, too, and shot her a smirk again.

"Sorry, new girl. Hope we didn't hit you? Enzo here didn't get the memo that this is just a practice session… Did you, Lorenzo?"

The other guy rolled his eyes, but still took Damon's outstretched hand and let his teammate help him up.

"_You_ were playing like you're a bloody rookie, mate," Lorenzo, or Enzo, grumbled out, then smirked at Bonnie, too, and she gritted her teeth at hearing his annoying accent. Just as bad as that team owner… "Ah, I see, the new medic is here," Enzo continued obliviously. "Did you by chance bring some Band-Aids so you could help me out with this, or are you just here to stand in our way?" He showed her the side of his arm where Bonnie now saw the skin had been scraped badly enough to make him bleed, and she pressed her lips together to swallow a snarky remark.

Already, she didn't like him. What charm Damon had, this guy was lacking completely.

"Cut the girl some slack, Enzo," Damon soothed, patting his mate's shoulder. "It's her first day. Besides, doesn't look like you're bleeding out."

Enzo rolled his neck, shooting Damon a dagger-like stare.

"Maybe not, but I doubt she gets paid just to look cute on the sidelines so might as well make her work."

Damon chuckled, then turned to Bonnie, who was starting to become furious and trying her best not to show it. She didn't want to lose her job on the very first day, and she was damn sure that Enzo - even though he was just a bench player and nowhere near as talented as Damon - would be higher valued than the newest member of the medical staff.

Thankfully, Luke had already grabbed the first aid kit and was now helping her to get everything ready. She felt like a complete idiot, like a med school beginner, as she watched him, taking the antiseptic spray from him and listening to his whispered instructions, all the while clenching her teeth while trying to keep a smile on her face.

Enzo raised an eyebrow as he watched her. "This your first time, love?"

She stifled a scoff, then grinned up at him as sweetly as possible. "No, actually. I'm a certified doctor, which, by the way, probably makes me a lot smarter than someone who is just here, kicking a ball around."

Heat flushed her face as she realized what she had just said, and to whom, but then Damon started laughing loudly, his hand coming down on Enzo's shoulder yet again.

"She owned you, man," he said, then winked at Bonnie before he eventually returned to practice, leaving Bonnie to put some steri-strips on Enzo's arm.

"Leave it on till after practice and then come see me - or whichever doctor you prefer… - to check on you again." All business, she told herself. That was probably the best way to deal with it now. And by no means no more allusions to a player not being as smart as she was...

Enzo smirked down from his ridiculous height with a nod, then bent down slightly. "See you later, love. - And it's 'throwing'."

"What?"

His smirk widened, annoying her. "This is not soccer. We're _throwing_ the ball, not kicking." He had the audacity to wave at her, then jogged back to his teammates, leaving her fuming and feeling embarrassed.

Luke beside her shook his head. "That was… an interesting first encounter…"

Bonnie made a face. "Ugh. I ruined it, didn't I? They'll fire me before I even made it to the end of my first day."

"Eh. Enzo is known for having a bit of a temper. So's Damon. I think you handled it well enough. Even Klaus himself knows these guys are a handful."

"Klaus?"

Luke shrugged. "Mikaelson. The owner."

"Oh gosh, I hope he doesn't get wind of this."

Luke chuckled at her appalled expression. "Oh, don't worry about it. He doesn't usually fire anyone. It's more like the other way around. You wouldn't be the first to _quit_ over these guys, actually. We have quite the high attrition rate…"

Bonnie sighed. This didn't make her feel one bit better.

This had been supposed to be the perfect job, her dream come true! And now it was turning into a nightmare, fast.

* * *

…

"He's awful!" Bonnie whined into the phone, and Caroline didn't know what to tell her friend. She felt sad for Bonnie, sad that her first day hadn't started too well, but…

"It's your first day, Bon. It's going to get better from here on out. Just wait until you know them all a little better and can take their moods in stride. These pro athletes can be quite the divas."

"You don't say."

Caroline could almost see Bonnie's eyeroll, and she could most certainly hear the exaggerated sigh.

"Was Damon as cute in person at least?"

"Yeah."

Grudging admittance. Caroline could work with that. Smiling, she said, "Who is this Enzo anyways? I don't even think I've seen him play at all."

"He's a bench guy. Hasn't played all that many minutes. He's only a second year, got drafted pretty late after only playing in Europe. His parents are British-Italian or something."

Caroline almost spit out a sip of latte. For someone Bonnie found to be so annoying and had never once mentioned, she certainly knew more about him than she should.

"I just googled him," came the sheepish explanation before Care had had a chance to comment, and she chuckled.

"Ooooh. So at least you care enough to google the guy."

"I _don't_ care."

"Okayyy… Anyways." She sighed. "We'll get drinks as soon as you're done and then you can tell me all about how awful that guy is and how hot Damon is and please, by all that is holy, try and at least catch a glimpse of Klaus for me!"

Bonnie laughed, finally sounding better again. "Will do."

"You got this, Bon. Hang in there."

"Yeah…"

Caroline smiled to herself. Bonnie would be fine, she knew it. It couldn't really be that bad.

* * *

…

"Oh my gosh, he didn't!" Caroline gasped.

It really was that bad. Turned out, Lorenzo St. John - which was his full name - was indeed an arrogant bastard, and he treated poor Bonnie without any respect.

"And then he just left me standing there and walked over to the head of staff for a 'real' medical evaluation. Over a freaking scratch! Ugh!" Bonnie held her head in her hands, half-heartedly staring into her drink. She had ordered a Coke, plain and simple, but now even the sugary drink couldn't help pick up her mood.

"I'm sorry, Bonnie. Just forget the idiot."

"I wish I could. He's on the team, though, so I'll see him every friggin' day..." She sighed. "At least I still have a job…"

Caroline looked at her with sympathy. "How was Damon, though?" A change of topic couldn't hurt, she figured, but Bonnie merely sighed.

"Even hotter up close. But who am I kidding. It's a stupid celebrity crush. I have a friggin' celebrity crush! _Ugh_. How hopeless am I?"

"Hey…"

Bonnie scoffed. "I mean, it's not like he could come to my defense or anything. And why should he. I don't know the guy. Besides. I should probably stop watching the games. It'll just mess with my head now that I have to see these guys on a daily basis."

"Um, Bon… Hate to break it to you, but as medical staff, I'm pretty sure you'll have to be _at _the games."

Bonnie's head shot up as the realization hit her, then she pretend-collapsed on the table. "Oh Caroline, I'm so dead!"

And tomorrow was the next game…

Caroline chuckled sympathetically. "You'll survive, Bon. I know it."

But would she really? Bonnie somehow doubted it.


	2. Break a leg

_Thanks to Jamix and Danceswithbutterflies! You two are awesome and I'm happy you liked that first chapter._

_I'll admit this story will probably be a bit rushed and weird and not quite my usual standard, but hey_…

* * *

...

Damon grinned to himself. He was pumped. Enzo was yawning on the bench, looking tired, but high fiving him as he went past.

It was game night, and Damon was ready for another win. They had had a pretty great run recently, not least because of him, and he didn't care whether saying that wasn't exactly regarded as humble. Heck, if anyone wanted humble, they wouldn't have traded for Damon to come to the Hybrids all the way from sunny and eccentric LA, right?

"Ready for this?" he muttered, feeling cameras rest on him, and Enzo beside him tensed a bit. The kid wasn't as used to the limelight yet, although he did pretty well considering and Damon chuckled when his friend nodded and said, "Go and show 'em why they call you the vampire."

The vampire… it was a pretty stupid nickname, really, but Damon had embraced it anyways. They said he was able to suck the lifeblood right out of the opposing team's players. He liked that analogy.

Taking a deep breath, he steeled himself before getting up and getting ready. Just a few more minutes.

"I feel like you'll get to play a bit more today, Lorenzo," he said, not knowing yet just how prophetic those words would prove to be.

* * *

…

The game was well underway, and Bonnie had to admit that it was pretty cool to be able to watch it from the sidelines, so close that she could see the players and sometimes even feel a whoosh of air when one passed by.

Just a little away from her stood Klaus Mikaelson, a pretty blonde by his side that seemed to be very familiar with him and she couldn't help but think of poor Caroline and that her friend would probably be a little bummed by it, despite the fact that she knew this was just a bit of a harmless crush she had. But Caroline was a big girl. And so was Bonnie, which was why she was professional enough to simply ignore stupid Enzo with his fancy name and bad manners when he winked at her from the bench now.

"You're way too cocky for a bench warmer," she muttered to herself, and Luke beside her shot her a glance, stifling a chuckle.

"His behavior is really getting to you, isn't it?"

Bonnie shrugged it off. "Come on, you can't deny that he's acting like the second coming when all he ever does is sit on the bench and play a few minutes during garbage time."

Garbage time… Bonnie remembered a time when she hadn't known what that meant, hadn't even heard that expression.

Luke grinned. "You might have a point. At least he's pretty dang hot…"

"He's not."

A scoff escaped Luke as he looked at her, the game continuing before them. Bonnie smiled at him, enjoying their banter. During the last few weeks she and Luke had become friends, and it helped to have someone to talk to who really understood. Except this. This, he didn't seem to get.

"Of course he is. Have you seen him, or are you too blinded by Mr. Vampire?"

Bonnie giggled softly, hiding behind her hand. "Mr. Vampire _is_ blindingly hot, I'll admit it."

"He is… Those eyes…"

"Oh yes." Bonnie closed her eyes briefly, giving a long sigh. "Ugh, why can't I get over this stupid crush?"

Luke wagged an eyebrow at her. "At least these guys actually acknowledge your existence. That's more than some of us can say…"

Looking at him, Bonnie gave him a sympathetic nudge. She knew he had a serious crush on someone way out of reach, too, and that someone didn't even know he existed: Kol Mikaelson, Klaus' slightly crazy younger brother, a party boy if ever there had been one.

"Come on, let's focus on-"

A loud yell cut her - and everyone else in the stadium - off abruptly, a deathly silence spreading as they saw Damon Salvatore lie on the ground, writhing in pain as he clutched his quite obviously broken right leg. Bonnie grew hot and cold, goosebumps spreading all over her body within seconds as she watched Enzo jump off his chair, making a gesture in her general direction, jolting her into action.

He wanted her to come. Of course! This was why she was here! This was her job! Shooting a quick glance at Luke, she got up, grabbing her medical kit, then she ran onto the court, feeling the eyes of thousands of people on her as she sprinted over to Damon.

"My leg," he was groaning over and over again as she fell on her knees by his side, two officials already trying to shield him as she forced herself to focus, her hands to be steady. Enzo was holding Damon down, muttering something that Bonnie didn't catch. But it was directed at her patient anyways, and thankfully, whatever it was, it kept him on the ground, kept him from freaking out even more.

"Shit," Luke cursed softly, "definitely broken. This looks bad…"

She shot him a warning glance. Damon shouldn't have to hear this.

"My leg," he said again, his pained voice making her heart go out to him. "It's… it's broken, man, I can feel it."

"Mate, you need to calm down. Med girl over here is taking a look right now and they're already getting the stretcher ready, alright?"

Damon stared up at Enzo, nodding, breathing way too fast as he did. Bonnie shot the two men a sideways glance, then focused back on getting Damon ready for transportation. Enzo seemed to have a good influence on Damon, so she didn't even grow too mad at him calling her "med girl". Still, the moniker angered her. That man was an entitled douche, and while she'd never wish an injury on anyone, she couldn't help but think that it would have been a little fairer if it had been him with the broken leg and not Damon. That way maybe he would have finally learned to respect the medical profession a bit more.

Or maybe he just needed to learn to respect _her…_

"We're going to take good care of you," she told Damon now, smiling for his sake as the stretcher was lifted up, and she was shocked when he suddenly gripped her hand, hard.

"Thanks, doc," he breathed, his face a mask of pain as he tried to meet her gaze before he lifted up an arm to shield his eyes. Then they rushed off. It happened so swiftly, so fast that it was all a blur to Bonnie, and yet she felt more alive than she had ever done before.

This was really her job now. Helping people, and not just anyone either, but the Hybrids players. _Damon_. She was helping Damon frigging Salvatore.

"St. John, you're up," she heard the coach yell somewhere behind her as she was already jogging down the way to the locker rooms, and when she shot a quick glance back, she saw Enzo giving a grim nod as the coach patted his back.

* * *

…

Bonnie sank against the wall, taking a deep breath. She had been present for Damon Salvatore's surgery, which had been performed by one of the best orthopedic surgeons of the Americas, thanks to Klaus Mikaelson, and she was relieved that it all had gone well.

As well as possible, anyways. Damon's tibia had been fractured and was now held together by a metal plate and screws. Recovery would be a long road. Bonnie bit her lip at the little devil on her shoulder that was excited about the prospect of having to work closely with Damon during the next few months.

He would be so devastated, though. The team was heartbroken, the press, too. No one believed that the Hybrids would be able to get anywhere remotely close to a playoff qualifying seed. Not without the vampire, not without Damon Salvatore.

Pushing herself off the wall, Bonnie decided to make her way home. She hadn't been required to attend the surgery, but she had seen it as part of her duty. After all, now she knew exactly what type of surgery he had had and she'd be able to tailor the physical therapy even better to his needs.

"How is he?"

Bonnie startled at hearing the accented voice. For a moment she thought it was probably Klaus, but instead it was just Enzo, or… a rather deflated looking version of him.

"Um…" Suddenly tongue tied, she looked to her left, then right, as if she was hoping for back up. No one was supposed to be here. She wasn't supposed to be the one talking to anyone about this. Dr. Josephine Parker, the surgeon, was supposed to take care of that. Yet here she was and here he was, and he was looking at her as if she had all the answers.

"You might want to talk to the surgeon…"

"I'm asking _you_."

Sighing wearily, she caught herself before rolling her eyes too obviously. "The surgery went well." She eyed him warily as he nodded then rubbed his neck with one hand.

"Will he…" He swallowed visibly, his Adam's apple bobbing as he trailed off, unable to say it.

"Will he be able to play again?" Bonnie finished the question, then answered it when he nodded again. "I can't say for certain, but athletes with similar injuries have gone on to have a successful career, so the prognosis is… hopeful." She cringed at hearing herself talk. She had no idea what she was supposed to be saying and she only hoped no one would catch her babbling like that. The truth was, she had no idea how things would turn out for Damon. Had there been other athletes that had come back from this type of injury? Sure. Had it taken them a long time to recover? Absolutely. But what was she supposed to make of that? How was she supposed to talk about this? She was not the surgeon here. She was just the friggin' med girl.

But Enzo didn't seem to notice or care, looking lost in his own mind.

"Can I see him?"

"Um…" He wasn't family. She didn't even know whether they were friends or just regular teammates.

He broke into a smile. "Don't worry, love, I get it. Family only."

She smiled back as if her face functioned of its own accord, giving a half shrug. "I'm sorry…".

"Will you tell him…" He trailed off, his expression wavering. "Never mind."

Already, he had turned around, a sigh making his whole body shudder. And for some odd reason, Bonnie suddenly felt… sympathy for him. For Enzo St. John.

"Tell him what?" she asked, stopping him in his tracks.

He turned around, licking his lips, only half meeting her gaze before he shook his head.

"Tell him what?" she repeated softly, making him sigh again.

"Feel better soon, and…" The longest pause… "We won the game for him."

With that he turned around again and was gone before Bonnie had a chance to say anything else.

Really? They had managed to win the game after such a traumatic event? After their star player had been out? She had to admit that that was quite a surprise. Damon would probably love it…

* * *

…

He woke up to a dull pulsing pain in his leg and the certainty that last night's awful accident had really happened. Damon Salvatore had broken his leg. It hadn't even been a foul, just a really awkward trip and fall kind of motion after he had made the alley-oop. At least the ball had gone in, he thought now, grimacing as he rubbed his thigh as if that motion could help with the much lower lying injury.

The vampire was sucking blood no more. He pressed his lips together, trying to calculate in his head. They had told him about the surgery, about the metal plate and screws and the rest he'd need. They had told him recovery was a long hard road, but that he would make it.

They had said he was out for the season. The complete season was done for because he couldn't play anymore. Swallowing, he stared up at the ceiling. Maybe if he tried really hard, he could get this stupid leg to work quicker than they had prognosticized. Maybe, if he just…

He tested moving the leg, just a careful motion, just to try, but the second he did he knew it was futile. No, he wasn't going to play ball again anytime soon.

"Hey…"

The smile on his face appeared before he knew who it was, who was talking to him. Probably some nurse or other, maybe that doctor from last night. He didn't feel like smiling, but he was professional enough not to show it.

Looking up, he saw the cute little team doctor walking closer, the pretty one that was taking care of the day to day. And who might be there for a different kind of day to day now…

His smile grew a bit more genuine when he remembered how she had held his hand on the way to the hospital, never complaining, never making fun of him for being a wuss. And he had been a wuss. He closed his eyes at the memory, trying to sit up a little straighter.

"Well, hello med girl." He chuckled, waving off, "I'm sorry, that's… I don't even know your name…"

"It's Bonnie," she said, more generous than he deserved. But he'd take it.

"Bonnie. I like it. Can I call you BonBon?"

"You cannot."

Sassy. He liked it. She didn't fall for the whole "let's treat these players like everything they say is okay" crap. He could respect that.

"Okay," he therefore said, "you here to tell me how we'll proceed from here on out?"

"Something like that, yeah."

"Alright, hit me!"

Her frown was adorable. "Hit-"

He chuckled. "It's an expression BonBon, not literally hitting. Tell me the plan. And better make it a good one. I wanna get the hell out of here and start playing again."

"It's Bonnie," she reminded him and he rolled his eyes, grinning, until she continued and that grin died right on his lips. "And if you really want to play basketball again, there's a whole lot of work coming up ahead."

When he remained quiet, unsure of what to say, just nodding, her features suddenly grew softer as she came close enough to put her hand over his for a brief moment.

"By the way, Enzo said to tell you to get better and that they won the game for you last night. He thought it might cheer you up."

"No way."

He was honestly surprised. The team was good, but lacking. If he wasn't there to focus their efforts, things often fell apart. With him out and the new coach still not used to their dynamics, he hadn't expected this to be possible. It was probably just a fluke anyways. But a welcome one.

"Uh huh." She smiled.

"Think you could get me hooked up with a replay?"

She smiled. "Of course."

"It's a date then, you and me and the game." He grinned back, oblivious to the way she suddenly looked at him because he was already deep in his own head again. A broken leg… Was this what shattered dreams felt like? Months of rehab lay ahead of him and there was no knowing if he'd even have a team to come back to by then…

* * *

…

Bonnie gulped. Damon had probably not even realized what he had just said, had he? What this did to her?

"Help me," she whispered into the phone, her voice frantic as she rushed down the hallways to the break room.

"What's going on? Bonnie, you're scaring me. Did your… thing with Damon go okay?"

"Better than. But now he wants me to go get him access to a replay of the game and I suck at this kind of stuff. Also, he said I am to watch it with him and of course he meant nothing by it, but now I don't know what to do and whether he actually expects me to stay around when he watches it or if-"

"Bonnie!" Caroline on the other end half yelled to get her attention and Bonnie finally stopped rambling and apologized.

"I'm sorry, Care. I'm just… in over my head at this stupid job. I should have never accepted it. And oh my gosh, can he stop looking so damn hot already?!"

Caroline chuckled. "You _are _in deep, girl. But… first things first. The game is easy enough. Does he have his phone?"

"Course."

"Then you're good. I'll text you a link and if he's really too dumb to look it up himself-"

"Hey, is that a jab at me?"

Caroline laughed. "Nah, just at him. He should know better. You… are a doctor and always in your head, I'll excuse it. But he… he's on Twitter and Instagram so often you'd think he doesn't even have time for basketball. He should know his way around the internet. This is not rocket science."

"Still sounds like a jab at me," Bonnie said, mock-grumbling. She was just glad Caroline was more level-headed than she was right now. "And about the other thing?"

"Just wait around and look for cues I guess."

"Wait around?".

"When he starts watching the game, silly. Geez, Bon, you really are in over your head, aren't you?"

"Ugh. I am, aren't I? - Alright, I gotta go."

* * *

…

She was back with Damon after her shift had ended, ready to just dash in and make sure he could watch the game, half hoping he'd immediately dismiss her, but when she entered his room, he was already propped up against a bunch of pillows, a large TV now on the wall, showing last night's game - and there was Enzo St. John, his legs up a table, sitting slouched in a chair, munching on some… was that grated cheese from a bag? Bonnie rolled her eyes, feeling slightly nauseous.

"Hello, love," he said as soon as he spotted her, then he jerked his head in Damon's direction. "So she's the poor girl that'll have to get your sorry arse back on track?"

Damon threw a pillow at him, regretting the move instantly when Enzo just kept it, putting it behind his back and laughing.

"Give it back."

Enzo chuckled, shaking his head as he focused back on the screen, while Damon's gaze met Bonnie's.

"BonBon, can you tell Enzo here that I am severely injured and need my pillow back?"

"Shouldn't have thrown it mate," Enzo deadpanned before Bonnie had a chance to reply. Which was probably for the better because suddenly she couldn't think of anything to say.

"You shouldn't have _made_ me throw it."

"Um, I see you guys are all set up," Bonnie said, motioning toward the door. "I'll just… grab you another pillow and then I'll be off for today. But tomorrow we'll discuss how-"

Damon shook his head, holding up a hand. "No more serious talk today, BonBon. Come on, sit down with us. We have snacks." He shot her a conspiratorial glance. "Don't worry, we have something other than that." He pointed at Enzo's bag of cheese with a roll of his eyes that made her chuckle despite herself. "He's not sharing that cheese anyways. - We got fruit and popcorn, though, and maybe even some chips. And gatorade. You like a good drink, don't you?"

The way he thought he was funny was the most charming thing about him, and grudgingly, Bonnie felt herself nod, while her inner voice kept yelling at her to back out of this and stat.

"Awesome. Lorenzo, go grab the lady a chair! She's watching the game with us."

Bonnie wanted the ground to open underneath her as she saw the look the guys exchanged, but then Enzo got up with an odd pointed stare and shoved his own chair toward her.

"For the lady. I should probably get going any-"

"You stay." Damon's tone had changed into something harsh, and Bonnie shot him a wary stare, suddenly uneasy. But then he chuckled, that flicker of light was back in his eyes, and Enzo rolled his eyes theatrically.

"I was there, mate. I don't need a rewatch."

"Coach might see it differently. You could probably learn something from this."

Enzo gave an exaggerated sigh. "I'll get a chair," was all he said before he walked past Bonnie, a little too close for comfort and she was yet again reminded just how tall these guys were.

"Don't go anywhere, love. He probably thinks there's something for you to learn here too."

She scoffed, but didn't reply. What was there to say to that, anyways.

* * *

…

They had been watching for a while when that gruesome scene came up, when they saw yet again how Damon took a leap and… landed wrong on his foot, breaking his leg. It had been tough the first time around, but this time…

An odd feeling crept into Bonnie, and she shot furtive glances at the two men in the room with her. Over on the bed, Damon had clenched his hands into fists, staring at the screen almost mesmerized. Only the slightly flared nostrils gave away just how this really affected him. It couldn't be easy for him to watch it all over again, from an outsider's viewpoint.

Enzo, on the other hand, was looking out the window, his body almost frozen. Long gone was that bag of cheese…

"Whew. That was intense," Damon said, chuckling. "Wasn't it? Anyone need more popcorn for the rest of this? Enzo, my man, I believe you're now officially the only one in this room who's already seen the rest of the game. No spoilers, though!" He chuckled again, and Bonnie's gaze accidentally met Enzo's now after they had both looked over to Damon. It was as if they both saw right through his act, could see what this had done to him, but silently they agreed not to comment on it.

They watched the rest mostly in silence, Damon's eyes peeled on the screen, Enzo shooting him the occasional sideways glances that Bonnie observed through the lashes of her eyes, when she wasn't transfixed by the goings-on on the screen herself.

Because what she hadn't known and hadn't realized until today was that apparently, Lorenzo St. John was an insanely good athlete. His shots from three had almost all gone in, and he'd had a lot of them. Even she knew that was exceptional, and her knowledge of the game was still rudimentary at best.

But in the absence of Damon Salvatore - the vampire, the only real all-star of the team - the Hybrids had surprised everyone and had flourished. They hadn't missed Damon at all. Not with Enzo in what had to be the best form of his life.

"Are you kidding me, Lorenzo?" Damon said toward the end, when it was already clear that the Hybrids would win this one. "How did I not know you could play like that?"

It was maybe - probably - intended as a lowkey praise or jab, but Bonnie could see in Damon's face that he was… hurt. Shocked. The team hadn't missed him, because Enzo had stepped up. And even if maybe it was just a one time thing, the one day in Enzo's career where he would shine, even then, seeing this right after getting injured so badly must weigh heavy on poor Damon.

Bonnie zoned out a bit as she pretended to focus on the game, until something caught her attention and she didn't have to pretend anymore. She didn't catch Enzo's reply, nor Damon's retort, though she knew he did indeed retort.

But she had spotted something on screen that had made her frown.

There was a time out. Klaus Mikaelson was pacing in the background, but she didn't care about him, or the pretty girl still hanging off his arm. The thing that had caught her attention was something else, _someone_.

"I didn't know you had asthma," she blurted out abruptly, turning around to stare over at a flustered looking Enzo. She swallowed, digging a fist into her hip, then pointing at the screen where he could be seen listening to the coach while absently shaking an inhaler in his hand before he eventually used it a couple of times.

She was stunned. How had no one mentioned such a crucial piece of information to her? She was supposed to be part of the medical staff! She was supposed to know these things!

"It's not a secret, love." He held his arms away from him as if he was trying to calm her down, and on top of his accented voice it annoyed her even more.

She closed her eyes briefly. "Stop calling me 'love.' - I'm your doctor. And I should know about this."

He scoffed, giving Damon a "can you believe this girl" look before he glared at her, shrugging. "Clearly, you need to do better research then. And you're not my doctor. Maybe you're his." He pointed at Damon, but held her gaze. "Not mine."

"Guys. You're missing the rest of the game," Damon whined, and both Bonnie and Enzo rolled their eyes at him.

"I'm out of here, mate."

"Aw, come on, Enzo. We had fun before-"

"You don't even really know this girl, do you? Why is she here?" Enzo seemed rather angry and petulant, and Bonnie felt taken aback by the sudden change in his demeanor. As if she had accidentally touched on his weak spot, a literal weakness. Which she had...

Damon chuckled. "No, I don't, so what better time to get acquainted than right now, before I have to start on this goddamn journey into the horrors of rehab? Huh? Can't you cut us all some slack and enjoy the moment? I just had freaking surgery, my family is nowhere to be found, but this _girl_ here, my therapist to be, was here for me when I needed someone. While _you_ were out there already making sure everyone forgets I ever even existed, _she_ was here for me."

An abrupt silence fell over the room. Bonnie noticed she had begun fidgeting with her fingers, and stopped herself. Trying to avoid both Damon's and Enzo's eyes, she cast hers down.

"What do you want from me?" Enzo eventually asked, directed at Damon, but the longer he waited for a reply, the tenser the atmosphere grew, and Bonnie had to wonder again what she had gotten herself into. She should have never agreed to stay, not to mention accept the stupid job in the first place.

She hadn't shown the most professional attitude, had she? And now she was paying for it. This was not good. At all. She was a witness to something here, something she didn't quite understand, and she needed to get the hell out before it turned ugly.

"Maybe it's time I leave,", she therefore muttered but then caught Enzo throwing up his hands, grinning a humorless grin.

"No," he said, "Stay. I'm out of here."

Then he left, and Bonnie was suddenly alone with a lost looking Damon.


	3. Toxic

…

"Please excuse my moody friend," Damon said, and Bonnie shot him a scrutinizing gaze. He had put on a smile, but like they said: it didn't reach his eyes. At all. "He has a bit of a temper and a few too many issues."

Bonnie scoffed. "You sure he's the only one with the issues?"

A flicker went through Damon's eyes as he looked at her while adjusting his position in bed. Cocking his head, his grin turned more sincere, surprising Bonnie.

"You don't hold back, BonBon, I like it."

"Why would I hold back?" she asked, although she knew the answer. What he might not have seen in the dim light of the room was the flush that had shot into her cheeks. Because she _should_ probably hold back, keep her thoughts to herself, but for some reason, she couldn't.

Damon was rubbing his leg, staring straight at her when he spoke next. "You probably already read about it online anyways. Like everyone else out there, so… you know he and I have a bit of a weird relationship." He paused, and Bonnie leaned against the wall, waiting for what he was going to say next. When he didn't, she pushed herself off, grabbing her purse.

"I really should get on my way. You and I will have a lot of time together tomorrow, and the days after." She smiled at him, trying to sound light, but his answering grin was wistful at best. Of course she couldn't blame him. He was in pain, he was clearly lonely, and he and his seemingly only friend had just had a weird little episode.

"What they say about me online…"

"I don't really keep up with the gossip," she told him before he could continue, playing with the strap of her purse as she did.

Damon's smile widened. "No? So, you haven't read the story about how my mom and Enzo had an affair? How that kinda destroyed the family? And now neither she nor my brother, and least of all my dad want anything to do with _me_?"

A soft gasp escaped Bonnie. "Excuse me?" Now _that_ story was something else. She'd have to ask Caroline about this. Was this common knowledge? Really? How did no one talk about it anymore? Or was she just living under an even bigger rock than she had thought.

Damon wagged an eyebrow. "I know. Sounds trashy. Welcome to the Salvatore family drama."

"How are you and him even still friends after that?" Bonnie blurted without filter, "If my best friend had slept with my parent…" She made a bit of an "ew" face, then covered her mouth with her hand as she realized that she was probably overstepping now. "I'm sorry, it's none of my business."

"Nah. I mean, I started it." His face turned into a frown. "You really telling me you didn't know this?" When she nodded, he rolled his eyes, mock-upset. "Aw, man. Should have kept it to myself then…"

They both chuckled, before turning serious again.

"Damon. I-"

"It wasn't his fault, you know. He had come out here for basketball. Since his parents and mine were friends, we took him in. His parents died shortly after. He was _15_ and my mom…" He shot her a glance, suddenly very serious, and hurt. Bonnie felt a pang and the need to give him a hug, but of course she didn't. They barely knew each other. And he really shouldn't tell her this story.

So why did he?

Oblivious to her musings, he continued after a long sigh. "He was looking for comfort, and she… was in a bad marriage with a bad man, looking for comfort herself. You could probably say she seduced him, because she _did_. He was a kid then. It was just… She bailed on us all after a year of that. I was starting my rookie year, my brother Stefan was 14 and in highschool, and Enzo…" He swallowed visibly, and Bonnie began gnawing on her lip as she watched him. She wanted to tell him it was okay, that she didn't need to hear this, but the words wouldn't leave her mouth. "I left them both with my dad because I'm an idiot."

"Damon…"

He waved her off, the need to get this out obviously too strong. Bonnie felt like an intruder, and yet she couldn't stop listening. It was like watching an accident happen.

"My dad obviously wasn't happy with any of this. He took it out on Enzo once my mom was out of the picture and I let him because I was angry, too. I was so damn angry…" He sighed, not looking at her anymore but down on his leg when he continued. "Didn't know how bad it had gotten until the kid got hospitalized and they found all these… these…" He looked up briefly, abruptly stopping himself, then shielding his face with his hand.

"Your dad hurt him?"

The look he gave her was answer enough.

"Did he hurt you, too? Your brother?"

"Not like him. But yeah, he liked the belt…"

Bonnie clutched her hand to her chest, suddenly feeling extremely uncomfortable. Was that all something she would be able to find online? Somehow she doubted that…

""That's why we're still friends. He paid for it ten times over, and he wasn't even the one to blame from the start. I know that now. If he had been a girl and it had been my dad…"

She nodded, immediately understanding what he was implying.

Damon looked up again. Gone was the cocky baller she had seen in him, just a shell of that persona left. "The guy doesn't have anyone out here," he said, "he's really not a people person-"

"So it's not just me?" Bonnie grinned and Damon chuckled.

"No. Not just you. Though it doesn't help that you're a member of his most hated profession."

Bonnie clicked her tongue. "That why he's so hateful?"

He gave her a pointed look. "You did just hear my story, right? The kid is deeply scarred. My mom only started it. My dad…"

It wasn't too difficult to make the connection. And Bonnie couldn't help but suddenly feel a bit of sympathy for Enzo.

"How often was he at the hospital?"

Damon made a dismissive gesture. "I honestly don't know. What I do know is that the asthma complicated things."

"He didn't always have it?"

"Not that I'd know. But that's another pretty awful story and it's not my place to tell it." Damon shrugged. "I'm sorry. We've talked way too much about Enzo. It's just… I need you to just leave him be, okay?"

Nodding, she accepted his plea. It wasn't like she wanted to deal with Enzo more than necessary anyways. No sob story could change that.

And yet…

"You still up for being my physical therapist after all this?"

"Of course!" she was a little too quick to say. Beaming at him, she couldn't help but touch his hand briefly before she finally pointed to the door.

"I should really leave. You need rest, Damon. I'll see you tomorrow. Eight o'clock, sharp."

"I'll be there," he joked and winked at her.

"I know you will."

* * *

…

Caroline opened the door, not surprised to see Bonnie standing before her, a tired and drained expression on her face.

"That bad? Are you telling me you got to watch the game with two NBA players - two hot NBA players by the way - and you look like this?"

Bonnie scoffed. "What _do_ I look like, exactly?" Walking past her best friend, she fell onto the couch, her mind still boggled by Damon's unexpected disclosure.

"Like someone who's had her fair share of drama. - And that's before I've even told you that I found out who the blonde with Klaus was!"

Caroline flopped down next to Bonnie, nudging her friend's shoulder.

"Wanna talk about it?"

Bonnie shot her a glance. "I don't even know what just happened. We were just watching the stupid game, and it turns out Enzo-"

"Can play like a damn God? Yeah, I saw. Everyone did. It was insane."

Nodding, Bonnie continued. "That was one surprise. I didn't realize he was that good. I mean, he rarely plays more than a few minutes at the end when it doesn't count anymore."

"Maybe it was one of those once in a lifetime moments." Caroline shrugged when Bonnie shot her a "really" type of look. Yeah, she didn't believe it either.

With a sigh, Bonnie leaned forward, grabbing the bag of chips that was lying on the table. "Anyways. That wasn't even it. You should have seen Damon. He was as shocked as I was. No, worse. I think he was honestly upset about it. As if the team had already replaced him that quickly. Can't blame him either."

"That's gotta be tough. But I'm sure he had someone there to hold his hand…" Caroline trailed off as Bonnie shook her head.

"That's the other thing. No one else was there for him after the injury. No family, no girlfriend-"

"Oooh, so maybe Mr. Vampire will be nibbling on your neck before long…" Caroline winked at her friend, who slapped her arm.

"Care!"

"What? You said no girlfriend has been in to see him. I did some research earlier and looks like the thing with that last chick who's still all over his insta must have been over for a while. Last time he or she posted anything of the two of them together was a month ago! You totally-"

Bonnie had to laugh at her friend's enthusiasm. "No no no. Don't tempt me. I'm just getting over this crush."

"No, you're not."

She rolled her eyes. "But I'm trying to, so don't make this even harder."

"Noted. So. Back to your tough date."

"It wasn't a date."

"Fine. Just get it out already. What happened? Did Enzo snap at you again? Did Damon have a tantrum? Did the two of them make out?" Caroline's eyes widened with mirth and anticipation, and Bonnie chuckled, shaking her head.

"Sorry to disappoint, but no. Although… apparently Damon's mother had an affair with Enzo…"

"Eh, everyone knows that."

Bonnie frowned at Caroline. "Which started when he was 15."

Caroline dropped the chip she had meant to eat, looking appalled. "Ew," it escaped her. "He was 15?!"

"I guess that means that's not how the story goes online…"

Shaking her head, Caroline finally ate her chip. "No. There were rumors that it happened when he was still in school, but I think no one realized that 'in school' could mean something other than 18 and almost ready to be drafted for the NBA. Gosh, Bon, that's pretty awful. What did Damon say about that? Can't believe that didn't destroy their friendship."

"Honestly? I'm not sure it didn't..."

"But they are hanging out all the time. Damon's insta is full of pics with the two of them doing stuff. Not just practice either. And Enzo often tags him in his tweets and stuff."

"You've really done your research, huh? Bonnie nudged Caroline, making her friend grin sheepishly.

"I may be following them all? They're our team…"

"And they might post something about a certain Klaus Mikaelson," Bonnie concluded, chuckling before she grew serious again. "Ach, Care. I don't really know what I've gotten myself into there. - Oh, and as if that isn't enough I also learned that apparently Enzo just hates doctors in general. He has some history with hospital stays and asthma and…"

Caroline beamed, having a sudden epiphany. "So it's nothing personal!"

Bonnie rolled her eyes. "Yay…"

"Aw, come on. It can't be so bad. The guy is just a bit screwed up. Who cares. Besides, if he and Damon really don't seem to get along all that well, chances are you won't have to interact with him all that often."

The thing was, it turned out that Caroline was completely wrong.

* * *

…

* * *

...

Enzo woke up with a start, breathing too fast. Sitting up, he tried to catch his breath, and coughed. Crap. He rolled his eyes at himself. This was not good.

During the last few months, ever since Damon's horrible injury, he had finally allowed himself to play the way he knew he could, but it was taking a toll on him. The strain was not easy on his body, not easy on his lungs, and it didn't help that he seemed to have caught some bloody virus, either.

Coughing again, and again, he eventually pushed himself up off his bed and walked over to the bathroom, where he rummaged for his inhaler.

Propping his arms up on the sink, he leaned forward, waiting for the awful sensation of a too tight throat and constricted chest to pass before he eventually made his way back into the bedroom. By then he was wide awake and feeling sore, and he saw that Damon had left ten messages.

Grappling for his phone, he put it to his ear as soon as he found it, foregoing the text way for a much quicker call.

"It's 4:30, Lorenzo," Damon's voice chimed up, "a little early for a phone call."

Enzo snorted. "Your last message was sent approximately ten minutes ago. Don't tell me you were sleeping."

"I'm a vampire. We sleep during the day. You, on the other hand…"

"Need my sleep. Exactly. So, what is so important that you need to leave ten ciphered messages, all between 2 and 4:20 am?"

He heard a loud sigh on the other end, and something told him he was not going to like what he'd hear next. Sure enough, Damon's voice was barely above a whisper when he continued.

"Stefan's in town."

"What's your lovely brother want now? Your well earned money? For you to pull him out of another mess?"

"Lily is dying, Enzo. Lung cancer."

"Poetic justice," it escaped him before it had even quite hit him. The blow registered a split second later.

"Yeah, you could probably call it that…" Damon was kind enough not to go into more detail, or rub it in, as Enzo felt his chest tighten yet again. "Anyways. Apparently she and Stef reconciled and now she's asking him to get us all together so she can apologize and we can all make up and be a happy little family again."

Enzo was reeling, unable to process what Damon was saying. Lily was dying. The woman he had loved with the passion of a lost and starved teenage boy, the woman who had promised to comfort him and then had used him and abused him and left him lonelier than before was dying, and he felt…

"Lorenzo. You still there?"

He swallowed, trying to catch his breath.

"Dude. Where's your inhaler? You're not panicking yourself into an asthma attack, are you? She's not worth it. Come on, old friend. If you don't want to see her, don't see her. I'll… tell her you went over to the dark side and prefer the company of the creatures of the night over monsters like her these days."

Enzo kept listening to Damon talk for a while longer, unable to say anything in turn.

Lily was dying.

"Don't make me send med girl over to you, Enzo. Because if I don't hear you use that inhaler and stop wheezing like an eighty year old, I will. I can promise you that."

Scoffing, Enzo finally jolted out of the loop of his thoughts and rolled out of bed yet again, leaving the phone on his bed until he returned with the inhaler, taking a few deep breaths, clutching the rails of his bed until his breathing was back to normal.

When he picked up the phone again, Damon was still there. Just as usual. "Atta boy," he said, making Enzo roll his eyes and clench his jaw. "Alright. No med girl for now. And I'll tell Stefan you're not interested. See you at practice later. BonBon said I could sit on the bench and watch you guys for a bit."

Great. Enzo shook his head to himself. "I'll see you there then."

"He speaks."

"Damon…"

"Alright, alright. Let me have a bit of joy in this world. I haven't touched a damn ball in two months and all I see now is how you slay every other team out there since I'm gone. We'll have to talk about that, my friend. Maybe today is as good a day as any for that."

Bloody marvelous, Enzo thought, then ended the call without another word.


	4. Game night encounters

_Dear Guest: thanks so much for the kind feedback! There will be some Klaroline in this story but I don't know yet just how much… :)_

_Thanks also to DancesWithButterflies and ZombieSavior! It's thanks to people like you I still post occasionally. :)_

* * *

…

"Promise me you'll stay put. Use your crutches, get on the bench and watch. That's it. You disobey and I'll take you back home right away."

Bonnie was wheeling Damon over to the court, where they could already see the team practicing, and he nodded his head, clutching the crutches so hard that she could see his knuckles grow white. He was more nervous, more agitated than he liked to admit, but she wasn't going to call him out on it.

"It makes me all hot and bothered when you talk like that, Bon. I'd never disobey you."

She rolled her eyes, waving at the small crowd when they had gotten close enough to hear them chat.

The players were all sitting huddled together, listening and watching as the coach showed them something, but as soon as they had spotted Damon, they got up to welcome him.

"Dude," DeShawn said, a tall guy with shoulder long dreads and a rather sweet smile, then he gripped Damon's outstretched hand in his. "Not the same without you. Coach Saltzman is on our asses way more these days. Time you come back."

"I heard that," the coach said, but he was grinning as he came over now, also shaking Damon's hand, then patting his back. "You'll have a spot on this team as soon as you're back, son."

Damon grinned a little forcefully. "Aw, come on. With Enzo in the form of his life you barely even missed me, Coach."

Alaric Saltzman clicked his tongue, and Bonnie caught on to the sideways glance the man shot over to where she noticed Enzo was still sitting on his seat, elbows resting on his knees as he stifled a cough.

"Kid has some chest congestion," the coach muttered now, conspiratorially leaning in. "I want to sit him out but he says he's fine to play and with you out, I don't have all that many options, Salvatore."

"If he says he can play, he can play." Damon met Alaric's gaze and Bonnie couldn't help but think that she was missing something here.

"Has he been to see one of the team doctors?" she now asked, focusing on her own business - which was the health of all players - and ready to just do her job as she helped Damon out of the wheelchair, and Coach Saltzman shrugged.

"I made him go earlier. Doc says he's fine as long as we limit his minutes a bit."

Bonnie nodded, satisfied enough to let it go and blend into the periphery, while Damon hobbled away with his teammates, clearly enjoying the extra attention. Watching him, Bonnie couldn't help but smile. This was something he had desperately needed. It was so glaringly obvious that even the coach, who was still standing by her side with his arms crossed, commented on it.

"Kid thrives on attention. And playing ball. Good thinking to bring him over, doc." He smiled at her appreciatively and she smiled right back. His praise felt too good. She had been working hard with Damon these last couple months and it was just nice to get out with him and see him back where he most belonged.

As the coach left her, she walked over to where she saw Luke waiting around, watching from a distance.

"Hey," she said, nudging his side, and he smiled at her.

"How's physical therapy with the vampire going?"

"Going alright. Still a ways to go, of course. How about here? Anything worth mentioning?"

"Eh." Luke shrugged, jerking his head. "Bunch of scrapes and bruises. Lincoln is out for tonight with the flu. Marcel too. We have a couple others that seem to have caught a cold, but none as serious as Linc, so we should be okay." He gave her a look as she nodded. "Speaking of… you coming tonight? Or are you just on vampire sitter duty now?"

Bonnie chuckled, rolling her eyes. "Nah. I'll be here. Wouldn't wanna miss game night! Besides, apparently Damon's brother is in town and they are gonna meet up to watch the game together."

"Here?"

Shaking her head, Bonnie made a face. "I could just so talk him out of that. I don't know what's going on with him, but he's really starved for all the attention, I guess. Yesterday he was a little too happy when some press guys camped out in front of his house to get an interview."

"I hope he didn't go out there. Klaus would not approve."

Bonnie chuckled. "No. I kept him busy in his gym. - Have you seen his house by the way? It's insane…" She trailed off as she watched Damon flop down next to Enzo, and she couldn't help but think of the things she had learned recently as she watched those two sitting together, talking.

"He alright?" she asked Luke, nodding in Enzo's direction as she noticed him cough again. "Was it you who checked him over?"

"Yeah." Luke gave an exaggerated sigh. "Only because Coach made him. Didn't help either of our moods… But yeah, he's alright."

"He has asthma, too, right? Shouldn't we-"

"He usually doesn't have any trouble. But we'll have to keep an eye on him tonight. I put him on a minutes restriction so he doesn't overexert himself. He was _not _happy." He rolled his eyes, crossing his arms as he did and Bonnie had to chuckle.

"I can imagine," she said. "He's a real sunshine, isn't he?"

"Oh ya… Sunshine with a touch of temper."

They fell silent, both now focusing on watching the team practice, but every so often, Bonnie's gaze fell on Damon and Enzo again, both of them still talking, both of them looking rather agitated.

"St. John, get your ass over here," the coach eventually hollered, "I'm sorry Salvatore. But we gotta get this show on the road tonight and this man needs rest."

"Coach," Enzo started, walking toward the man, but Alaric shook his head. "If you want to play tonight, you listen to what I say. Go and get some rest."

"I need the practice."

"You need _rest_."

Bonnie could see from all the way over where she stood that Enzo was clenching his teeth, clearly trying to rein in a retort. Damon came up behind him, whispering something into his friend's ear that made Enzo slump his shoulders and follow the coach's orders, then Damon walked toward Bonnie, beaming at her, if tiredly.

"I might need some rest too, BonBon. You ready to go?"

She nodded, sighing quietly. It was moments like this where she wondered yet again what she was even doing here, spending hours upon hours by Damon Salvatore's side. She was helping him get better, of course, was helping him to stay fit, she knew that. Yet sometimes she felt like she was more of a personal assistant these days than a real doctor, and she didn't like that feeling. Maybe, as crazy and stupid and ungrateful as it sounded, maybe it was time to go look for another job. Maybe Bonnie Bennett wasn't actually cut out for this and would better fit into a regular hospital after all.

"Coming, BonBon?"

"Yeah," she breathed, then took the crutches from him as he fell back into the wheelchair. "Say bye bye, Damon Salvatore."

"Bye bye, Damon Salvatore."

Bonnie rolled her eyes, stifling a giggle as they made their way out.

"You're a child at heart, aren't you?"

"Is that so wrong?"

"No." No, it wasn't. She just wished she was a little more like that too at times.

* * *

…

"I'm just not sure I want this anymore. I guess it's just… not as exciting or rewarding as I thought it would be." Bonnie gave a sigh as she tugged her arms under Caroline's and Elena's respectively, all of them on their way to the stadium for tonight's game.

Bonnie was working, of course, and would sit near the team, ready to spring into action if need be, but Caroline and Elena had purchased regular tickets to cheer for their team.

"Aw, Bonnie?!" Caroline nudged her friend, clutching her arm tighter as they kept walking. She had picked up on Bonnie's dampened mood before and now she finally knew what was going on. "You sure? I thought working so closely with Damon would be like a dream come true."

Bonnie rolled her eyes, sighing. "He's… a handful."

"I could have told you that before."

"Oh ya? And why's that? Did the internet tell you all about it? His Twitter? Insta? Facebook?"

"All of the above?"

They all chuckled before growing silent again.

"In all seriousness, though," Elena chimed in, "if you don't want to do it anymore, come to the hospital with me. I promise it's not as awful as they make it out to be. Okay, maybe the pay is…"

Bonnie grinned, the expression growing wistful. "I know. I probably sound ungrateful. This is still a great job. I just… I didn't study medicine for this, you know? I'm _more_ than a physical therapist. And I'm definitely more than a stupid babysitter for a giant baby with a broken leg."

"I apologize for your troubles, Ms. Bennett. Maybe we should compensate you a little better. The Salvatores are indeed all pieces of work, aren't they? Damon especially."

Bonnie's mouth grew dry as she recognized the voice that had come from behind them. She froze, making Caroline and Elena beside her stop, too. The girls were exchanging glances as Caroline's eyes suddenly widened and she whirled around even quicker than Bonnie, beaming when she saw she had been right.

"Niklaus Mikaelson," she muttered, cheeks flushing, and she cursed her light complexion for betraying her. There was a man right next to him she had seen before, too. One of his brothers...

Klaus extended a hand, taking hers. "And the lovely lady is…"

"Caroline Forbes." She smiled awkwardly, allowing him to place a kiss above the back of her hand. The motion set her heart aflutter in her chest and she shot Bonnie beside her a quick glance. Was this really happening? Was she meeting Klaus freaking Mikaelson? Oh my gosh…

"Nice to meet you, Caroline."

"Mr. Mikaelson, I'm so sorry. I don't know how much you heard," Bonnie blurted, but he held up his hand, smirking her way briefly before his gaze locked on Caroline again.

"Please don't worry about it. You might like the idea my brother Elijah - he's the broody silent one right here - has tried to sell to me for a while now, then. A _Hybrids_ medical facility. A hospital, rehab facility, something to combine all our medical efforts and make sure our team stays healthy and is always well cared for and at the same time, give back to our community and help out with a clinic for the masses."

Bonnie swallowed, her gaze wandering from Klaus to the man beside him. His slicked back hair and cashmere coat made him look very put together, and she noticed that Elena beside her was suddenly openly staring, and the man stared right back.

Scoffing, Bonnie bit her lip. What was it with her friends all falling for the Mikaelsons? First Caroline, then Luke, and now Elena? She sighed, mulling over Klaus's words. It did sound like a good idea. "I would love to help with that if you do decide to turn it into more than just an idea," she then said, smiling as Klaus took his eyes off Caroline to finally look at her again.

"Well, that's good to know. In the meantime, would you get our star player back to health if I promised to raise your salary a bit?"

"Mr. Mikaelson, that won't be-"

"Please. But now excuse us, we must get going. Ms. Bennett? _Caroline…_"

He tipped his hat to them all, lingering on Care, smiling briefly at Elena, too, but it was his brother Elijah who leaned forward a bit, taking her hand.

"Elijah Mikaelson," he said, and Elena smiled at him awkwardly, looking down at her hand. "I don't think I caught your name. Are you a doctor too?"

"I'm sorry, I should have introduced my friends," Bonnie said, helping her friend out who seemed to have lost her voice completely. "This is Elena Gilbert. We went to med school together. She works at the local hospital."

"Ah. Well, it was lovely to meet you all," Elijah said as Klaus patted his back, nudging him to go.

"We'll see you inside. - Ms. Bennett, I'll tell them your friends may sit close to you, provided you keep your eyes on our players and do your job."

"Of course, Mr. Mikaelson."

"Klaus."

She grinned stupidly, all of them watching as he and his brother walked past them and into the large building ahead of them.

* * *

…

"He doesn't honestly think I'm going to call him Klaus, does he?" Bonnie scoffed, shaking her head as Elena unfroze beside her.

"Oh gosh. What the hell was that?" Elena asked, looking to her friends who still stood rooted to the spot, and Caroline was the next to recover.

"I finally met him. I met Klaus Mikaelson, you guys! And I don't even have anything to show for it. Ugh..." Her legs were shaking, she was so stunned, so excited, and it was both a glorious and a ridiculous feeling. " Did you see how he kissed my hand? Like a true gentleman."

"Care… I don't need to remind you that he seems to be quite the player, do I? And I'm not talking basketball player…" Bonnie grinned at her sympathetically as she saw Caroline's excitement getting dampened a bit.

"Yeah, I know. But that doesn't take away from the fact that he is just gorgeous! Ugh… I can't believe this happened."

"And I can't believe that I couldn't even get my own name out!" Elena hid her face in her hands as they began moving again.

They all chuckled, and Bonnie grabbed Elena's arm a little tighter. "Yeah, what was that anyways? I thought you and Matt were happily ever after, and now you're struck dumb by a handsome stranger?"

Elena pressed her lips together, suddenly a lot more serious. "I don't know. I love Matt, I really do, but he's… he feels safe and… boring." She exchanged a glance with her friends, and they all huddled together a little closer as they got to the entrance.

"I'm awful."

"No you're not. Sometimes safe is not what we need or want." Caroline gave her a sympathetic look that made a smile return to Elena's lips.

"Especially you, Care," Bonnie chimed in, earning herself a slap.

"Bonnie!"

"It's true though, isn't it? Klaus is… he's dangerous, Care. You should see him with the team sometimes."

Caroline beamed. "I'd love that."

Bonnie rolled her eyes, grinning. "Exactly what I was talking about." She chuckled.

"You're one to talk, though. Stuck between two handsome studs that rob you of your sleep."

"What? I'm not-"

"So are. The vampire and his sidekick have taken up residence up there." She knocked on Bonnie's forehead, making her back away and bat the offending hand away.

"Caroline. Stop. I'll admit I'm still fighting a bit with that crush on Damon, but Enzo? That's ridiculous. I can't even stand the guy."

"Okay."

"What?" Bonnie didn't like her friend's tone, or the way she so quickly agreed. But Caroline only chuckled, changing the topic.

"So Klaus really said we could sit courtside with you, right? You think that's true? I was totally prepared to watch the game from nosebleeds, but an upgrade sounds amazing."

Bonnie shook her head, smiling to herself. It was probably best to let it go. She'd just have to show them how little Caroline's last statement was true. She was getting over Damon, if slowly. And Enzo… pfft. Just one of the ballers.

* * *

…

"Hello, brother." Damon had opened the door to welcome Stefan into his house, and he was surprised to see how put together the younger one looked.

"Damon."

"You look… different," Damon said, poking a finger into Stefan's chest, and his brother sighed audibly.

"Pulled my act together. Glad you noticed."

"That what they call it? You sure it's not just the haircut and the… what's that supposed to be? A beard?"

Stefan rolled his eyes, batting Damon's hand away. "You gonna just make fun of me or can I come in?"

"Of course." Damon opened the door wider, for one moment balancing his weight on just one leg as he held his crutches in one hand. Then, once Stefan was inside, he let the heavy door bang shut.

"Injury really got you good this time, huh?" Stefan waved at the cast, following Damon down the large foyer into the living room, where the TV was already on, everything ready for the game. "This can't be easy for you. Just watching from the comfort of your home…"

Stefan stopped to stare at him, and Damon let himself sink into the cushions, grabbing a beer as soon as he sat down. He made a face, looking at the screen for a moment before turning to his brother, then scoffed, shrugging.

"Let's not talk about me. Let's talk about this new improved Stefan and how exactly Lily managed to ensnare you-"

Stefan raised an eyebrow as he sat down in a sofa chair not far from Damon, declining the proffered beer.

"I stopped drinking."

_Ooooh_, Damon thought. That made sense. Alcohol had always brought out the worst in the youngest Salvatore, and he could honestly say that he was happy for his brother that he had finally managed to get that under control.

"AA?"

Stefan nodded. "I had help…" He gave a meaningful look and it didn't take Damon long to understand, and yet he was still baffled by it.

"Really? Lily helped you get sober? She trying to win the mother-of-the-year-award or something? I think it's a little late for that."

"Damon…" Stefan sighed, his gaze wandering between his brother and the TV and Damon couldn't help but feel his hackles raising. Like there was more to all this. Obliviously, Stefan continued. "Can't you let it go? Mom has changed. She's not the same person anymore."

"You mean the one who fucked an underage boy, then dumped him and left her own sons alone with her abusive husband in order to live her life with a new acquired family somewhere else?"

Stefan swallowed, averting his gaze. "Don't."

"'Don't' what, Stefan? That woman left us, left _you_, when she knew what dad did - what he would do if she wasn't there to soften the blows. She…" He took a deep shuddering breath, trying to keep an all too familiar feeling of utter helplessness from returning. He wasn't a child anymore. He wasn't-

"You left us too, remember?" Stefan spat, making a pang of guilt shoot into Damon with a vengeance. His brother was right, of course. He _had_ left… Stefan sighed as Damon was still trying to find his words. "I'm not here to fight, brother," he said. "I'm here to apologize for my own mistakes. For the many times you had to help me and I stole your money. I'm.. sorry."

Damon waved it off, taking a big swig out of his bottle. Looking at the TV he realized that the game had started, that the first quarter was a few minutes in already.

"Will you look at that. Hybrids are already up six points. And that with two of our guys out with the flu. Surprised you're here, watching the game with me instead of going to the stadium. I gave you good tickets, didn't I?"

"You did. Lily is there…"

Damon's heart skipped a beat. Surely he had misheard that. Right?

"Lily is at the game?"

Stefan nodded slowly, watching him as he put the bottle to his lips again, emptying it quickly. Shaking his head, he grinned disbelievingly. "Stefan, Stefan, Stefan. You really don't care if poor Lorenzo's heart gets ripped out, do you?"

"Don't be so melodramatic. All she wants is to make up for her mistakes. She wants to apologize. To you, to him…"

Damon kept shaking his head, chuckling to himself. Then he pushed himself up and off the couch. "Well I guess we're going to the stadium after all." Shoving the end of one of his crutches toward his brother, he poked him in the shoulder, hard.

"Damon…"

"You. Drive. And get her on the phone. I need her out of that stadium. Now."

With that he went on his way, followed by a reluctant Stefan, who tried talking to him. But Damon had no wish to listen. And no time. This was like a damn disaster waiting to happen and if he wanted to try and prevent that, he had to be quick.

* * *

…

Sweat was running down Enzo's face as he raced the court, getting in position to shoot from three and…

When he made the shot, a roar went through the crowd, but he wasn't really paying attention. They needed to keep going, keep winning if they wanted to make the playoffs. But it wasn't easy. With two of their players out with the flu, and a couple more fighting a cold, the Hybrids were playing on reserves. They were playing against the Celtics and things hadn't gone so we'll after an initial quick lead. Now Boston had caught up, and the Hybrids had been in a funk these last few minutes, a funk that Enzo was working hard to get them out of.

After a nice steal and two additional points, he stared up into the crowd briefly, then returned his focus back onto the court, just as he caught a glimpse of Lily Salvatore sitting close behind Klaus Mikaelson and his posse.

Enzo swallowed, his throat suddenly feeling a lot tighter. Shaking his head briefly, he blinked, taking a deep breath. No, that couldn't be. Damon had said she was dying. She had lung cancer. She wasn't going to sit here and watch a game.

Closing his eyes, he fought the urge to check again, and when someone called his name, he jolted out of it and back into action.

The ball was moving again and when his teammate passed it to him, he dribbled, tried to make the shot, fighting his way through a bunch of Celtics players. Then he jumped and… An elbow hit him hard in the ribs and with a grunt he went down, the wind knocked out of him. He curled an arm around his smarting chest, allowing himself to stay down for a second to catch his breath.

The ball hadn't made it in. But at least he got the foul call.

Free throws.

"You okay, man?"

He realized he was still on the ground as DeShawn bent down to pat his shoulder, and he nodded at his teammate, accepting the man's hand and let him pull him up.

"Dude, you sure you're okay?"

Enzo was coughing now, a hand pressed against his ribs, and one of the refs came over, motioning toward the bench and a few seconds later, Enzo found himself facing a concerned looking med girl.

"Let me see those ribs," she ordered, and he lifted his jersey without a comment, unable to even think of anything snarky to say. She palpated the area where he had been hit and he hissed as she did, making her lift her chin to look up at him.

"I'm taking you out."

"You can't do that. I'm fine. Ice it and let me play."

"Enzo." Her hand was on his arm and suddenly his world had grown a lot smaller. Gone was the stadium around him, gone the audience and even his teammates. Her small hand was on his arm and that was all he could focus on. Because somewhere out there sat Lily Salvatore and he found it harder and harder to just keep breathing. Clenching his jaw, he tore his gaze away, staring her straight in the eyes.

"Do it."

She rolled her eyes, pushing an inhaler at him that he grudgingly accepted as she went to work. "If I see you coughing again, you're out. No discussion."

"Fine."

The ice spray hit his side, making him inhale sharply. He almost coughed, her gaze meeting his as he gritted his teeth to stop himself.

"I mean it," she said and he shrugged, then put his jersey back down as her hands left his skin.

He wasn't going to let anyone take him out. The team needed this win, and without Damon, he needed to bust his ass to help them get it.

As the two free throws both went in, he grimaced in pain, then shook it off as the game continued.

* * *

...

The second quarter was over, Enzo had already played half of his minutes, and Bonnie was getting nervous.

"Think you can keep this up, St. John?" Coach Saltzman was just asking as Luke was starting to make his way over to Enzo, but Bonnie held him back, shaking her head.

"I got it," she said, noticing relief in her colleague's features.

"You sure?"

Smiling, she nodded. "He's already had to deal with me once today, I'm sure we'll be fine."

As Luke nodded, she turned and walked over to Enzo, who was still talking to the coach. When Alaric saw her coming, he got up, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Doc. Check him over. I want your honest opinion. We need him, but if you say he should sit the rest of the game out-"

"Coach, I'm fine."

Alaric shot Enzo a silencing glare as he spoke over him. "Then he'll sit the rest of the game out. - St. John. Go with the doc. Now."

Enzo rolled his eyes, but did as he was told, stalking over to Bonnie for a quick examination.

"Sit," she ordered, her tone firm and businesslike because she had found that that was the only language he understood

When she lifted his jersey, she saw that a bruise had begun to form, and Enzo hissed when she gently touched it.

"I guess I don't need to ask whether you have any pain."

"No."

She rolled her eyes but didn't say anything. Taking a stethoscope out, she placed herself firmly in front of him. "Take a deep breath for me."

He followed her instructions, and when she was satisfied that the injury wasn't affecting his breathing, she finally decided to clear him.

Alaric appeared right when she was about to send him back. He had just finished his little speech to the team and they were getting ready to go out there again.

"What's the verdict, doc?"

She smiled, nodding at him, then Enzo. "He can play. Nasty bruise but nothing's cracked or broken. The minutes restriction remains. No extensions on that one. If he starts coughing more, he's out."

"You got it. Thanks doc," the coach said, then addressed Enzo. "Get going, kid."

He nodded and was off, leaving Bonnie to wonder whether she should have maybe made a different decision. Something about his whole attitude had seemed… off.

…


	5. Court fight

_I want to dedicate this one to DancesWithButterflies and Jade. And kpmindc._

_Jade isn't here yet, but she's amazing. She was the only one reviewing my more obscure sequel-to-a-rewrite Bonenzo fic __**Electrum**_ (and the rewrite itself!) _and_ _I truly love her for it._

_And DancesWithButterflies also reviewed my Carenzo and Bamon story __**The Pit **__in the past and has been awesome with feedback for this story right here._

_kpmindc has read and reviewed many of my Bonenzo stories, because she, too, shares my love for all things Bonnie and Enzo._

_You guys are awesome; I appreciate you so much!_

…

_I'm an LA girl rooting for the Lakers mostly, but also for the Clippers (especially since the Lakers didn't even make the playoffs. lol). So yesterday's Clippers win over Golden State pretty much felt like we won the playoffs. lol. And it motivated me to write more._

_So here is the new chapter. This was fun to write and I hope you'll enjoy it a little._

* * *

…

Enzo was walking down the hallway from the locker rooms, wiping over his face as he found himself next to Niklaus Mikaelson all of a sudden.

"Enzo," the man said in a tone that made Enzo clench his teeth, but he didn't say anything in return. Waiting was usually smarter anyways.

"You know I've had an eye on you ever since I first saw you play for the Augustine Society boarding school back in the old country. And I'm glad you're finally showing the promise again you once did, but…" Klaus clicked his tongue, looking at him from almost the same height, but Enzo kept his focus on the way ahead. "When Ms. Bennett says you're done, you're done. I don't want to risk your health for one game. We'll need you down the road."

Enzo raised an eyebrow as he shot Klaus a sideways glance. "Of course, Nik," he muttered, fighting the urge to snap back. And Klaus seemed to appreciate it. Putting on a smile, the man patted his upper arm a bit too patronizingly, then waved a hand.

"I'll let you get on with it now. See you after the game."

He was gone before Enzo had a chance to reply. Then he got out of the hallway and back into the brightness of the stadium, ready to enter the third quarter.

"Hello, Lorenzo," a soft voice suddenly said somewhere way too damn close and he felt his whole body tense as his gaze found her standing not two feet away to the side.

"Lily."

His throat closed at the sight. She was smiling, looking as beautiful and handsome as she ever had, and his heart beat so fast upon seeing her that he had to avert his gaze and clench his hands into tight fists. What the hell was she doing here?

A ridiculous part of him wanted to call for security and have her removed, but of course he couldn't do that. How was he supposed to explain that? Lily didn't exactly look like a threat. But she was...

"Can we talk? After the game?" she asked, her hand reaching out to touch him, and when she did, when she laid her hand on his arm, when he felt her skin against his, he couldn't help but jerk away as if she had burned him.

"Don't," he said, eyes flickering dangerously, and she backed away almost instantly, eyes wide and shocked.

Good.

"Everything alright?"

He turned to see Bonnie Bennett - obnoxious little med girl - appear by his side, shooting him a sideways glance that he shrugged off without a verbal reply. Of course she didn't find that very satisfying and he gave a sigh when she very slowly repeated, slightly rewording it, "Are you alright?"

"Peachy, love. If you'll excuse me, I have a game to play."

"Riiiight…" Her tone and the look she thought he didn't see made him smile involuntarily. But his expression vanished when he heard Lily speak again.

"I'll wait for you, after the game."

"Don't bother."

He pressed his lips together, ignoring her as best as he could. Except, his mind, his body hadn't gotten the memo and he couldn't stop thinking about her, couldn't stop feeling her presence somewhere in the back of his head.

Hopefully, the game would take his mind off of everything…

* * *

…

"Enjoying the game, Caroline?"

She whooshed around, her heart skipping a beat when she found herself facing Klaus Mikaelson again. Twice in one day! This had to be her lucky day. Or, night…

She chuckled at the thought, making him look at her curiously, a smile forming on his lips as her cheeks flushed yet again.

"Um, yeah. Thank you for the upgrade by the way. One suggestion, though." She grinned, holding up a shirt she had bought outside as a souvenir for her mom. "Your merch stand could use some serious TLC. For such a young team as the Hybrids, that boring thing was a bit of a disappointment."

She swallowed, her words ebbing away as she noticed him squinting at her.

"You're criticizing the way I deal with my investments."

"No!" She scoffed, playing with a strand of her hair as she inwardly berated herself for having such a loud mouth, and she tried to keep up her smile as she thought on the spot how best to get out of this situation. A little further away, she could see the athletes return to the court, the third quarter about to begin any second now, and she began fidgeting, her gaze wandering between him and the court. "It was just a bit of friendly advice. You see, I have a little store myself and it's… well… never mind." She chuckled weakly, inwardly facepalming. Sighing, she composed herself. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you."

"You didn't."

He winked, remaining awfully quiet as he leaned in way too closely, and Caroline wasn't sure whether she wanted to back away or fling herself at him, both of which seemed rather inappropriate. Swallowing, she tensed, holding his gaze.

His lips were so damn close…

Abruptly, he pulled back, clearly having spotted something somewhere behind her, but when she looked she had no clue what it was. She saw Elijah and the blonde - Rebekah, then a pretty dark haired woman chatting with them, Kol sitting with a bag of popcorn before him, flirting with a girl and boy behind him by the looks of it. Nothing too odd, or suspicious. Still, Klaus's whole demeanor had changed rather quickly.

"Excuse me," he muttered, a flicker of anger or maybe concern passing his face before he gave her a soft kiss on the cheek. "I'm afraid we'll have to finish this conversation another time. My presence is needed elsewhere."

"Of course," she said, still smiling, because she had caught on to the hint of regret on his tone, then she watched as he walked past her, straight toward his family, however zoning in on the dark haired woman instead.

* * *

…

"Can you see her anywhere?"

Stefan shook his head, sighing as he followed his older brother through the crowd. People had already sat back down, the third quarter was in full swing, and they had just arrived by the seats their mother was supposed to be sitting in, but the spots were empty and Lily nowhere to be found.

"Where the hell is she? Huh?"

"I don't know, Damon. Maybe she decided to leave after all. I thought that was a good thing."

Damon snorted. "Yeah, it would be. If she was capable of that much self-reflection. But she is not. Which means she's probably hiding out here somewhere, waiting to ambush poor Enzo. Let's keep looking for her."

Stefan rolled his eyes, but followed Damon anyways. He couldn't quite understand why his brother was so… worried about Enzo when it came to their mother. No, that was a lie. He could admit that Enzo had had a tough time in the past. Even Lily had lately admitted that she had treated him wrong, that her behavior had been… problematic. But now the kid had turned into a man, and surely he could find it in himself to face a dying woman and forgive her.

Stefan had forgiven her…

"Dammit." Damon cursed as he hobbled through the rows of people, a stir moving through them whenever they realized who he was. Now he was shaking a few hands here and there, writing some autographs along the way, and Stefan had to smile and shake his head at watching his big brother begin to enjoy the bath in the crowd.

He only hoped Damon's better mood would linger long enough for them all to have a decent talk with Lily after the game so that he and their mother could all reconcile. If Enzo couldn't, fine. But Damon needed this as much as Stefan. She was their mother after all.

* * *

…

Bonnie was gnawing on her lip, focusing on the game. Earlier, she had briefly seen Caroline and Elena, who were now sitting not far from her, both happily cheering their team and ooh-ing and aah-ing every so often. The girls had told her that they had a great view from where they sat, and it hadn't taken Bonnie long to realize that they hadn't meant the view of the court.

Shooting a quick glance over there now, she caught Caroline's gaze, her best friend waving at her, a big smile on her face as she sat just a few feet away from the Mikaelson family.

"Lucky girl," Luke commented, winking at her and she grinned right back.

"She certainly seems to think so…" She trailed off as something else caught her attention, and she gasped, nudging Luke beside her. "Please tell me this is not who I think it is."

Luke raised an eyebrow, following her gaze.

"Sorry to disappoint, but yup, that's exactly who you think it is. Mr. Vampire, in the flesh. And it looks like he has his brother in tow."

"That's his brother?" She frowned. "They look nothing alike."

"Damon takes after his mother, or so they say. Stefan…"

Bonnie nodded absently, returning her focus to the court so as not to let her rising anger get the better of her. What the hell was he doing here? He was supposed to be resting, to keep weight off his leg, not just strolling around the stadium, where people would inadvertently bump into him.

With a sigh, she watched as the Celtics scored again and again, wincing at how quickly the game had tipped. Within the last few minutes they had managed to fall behind almost 20 points, and she could hear the coach's furious roars grow louder.

She turned to look at Luke as suddenly, a hard foul was being committed almost right in front of them, two men going down, one Hybrid and one Celtic, she hadn't seen who. And before she knew it, before she had a chance to rush forward and check on her player, what looked like a serious brawl was breaking out, members of both teams now going after each other, shoving and pushing, and throwing punches, until the refs, orderlies, fellow teammates, and even the coaches managed to get them all separated again.

"Showtime," Luke mumbled beside her, shooting out of his seat as soon as the commotion had died down a bit, and she did the same, scanning her view. There were bound to be at least some scrapes and scratches to be dealt with, but first, she needed to make sure that the one who had gone down was okay, and she was surprised to see Enzo already kneeling beside the man, motioning for her to hurry over.

The whole scene gave her an eerie sense of deja vu. Too reminiscent of Damon's injury...

"I got it," she told Luke anyways, and he nodded before dashing over to where one of the other players was sporting a bleeding nose, while Bonnie sprinted over to Enzo and the one on the ground, who turned out to be DeShawn Marcus. He was still lying on the floor, holding his arm as Enzo kept muttering something, his gaze now meeting hers.

"How's he doing?" Bonnie asked, then went down on her knees to check on the injured man. "Hey DeShawn. I'm gonna take a quick look at you, okay?"

"And here I thought you were just stalking me, med girl," Enzo joked, and Bonnie pursed her lips, shooting him a glare while carefully examining DeShawn's arm.

"It's Bonnie. And… don't flatter yourself. You're not my type."

He scoffed, but one corner of his mouth tipped upward ever so slightly, making her bite her lip to suppress an involuntary smile of her own before she turned her full focus toward her patient.

Poor DeShawn yelped as she moved the arm, and Bonnie noticed how Enzo's grip on him tightened as his teammate backed away.

"Easy, mate," he said, "Let her take a look. She can handle Damon, she can certainly handle you."

"It's just… aw, shit, this hurts."

"I know…" Enzo patted the other man's chest, holding him down. When he gave Bonnie a look, she went to work again.

"Looks like a clean-"

"Bonnie!" Enzo's sudden yell made her whirl around.

Abruptly, the atmosphere around them had changed, the fight not over after all, or maybe it had started back up, Bonnie wasn't sure. Things were happening so fast that she had barely caught on to the fact that something bad was about to happen when a cluster of huge men came tumbling their way like a black stormcloud darkening the sky. She instinctively tried to shield the man on the ground as best as she could, preparing for impact, her heart in her throat, a pit opening in her stomach. She was going to get crushed. And then-

* * *

...

"Damon, Damon, Damon. Aren't you supposed to be home, recuperating?" Klaus scoffed at seeing his star player out and about, noting that the man had what could only be described as a serious scowl on his face.

"Have you seen her?"

Of course… It didn't take rocket science or quantum physics for him to know who Damon was talking about. After all, he had just had the pleasure of talking to his lovely mother.

"Lily. She was here, yes. But I assumed it would be better for everyone involved if she and loverboy didn't encounter each other so I had one of my men escort her out." Klaus leaned back in his chair, turning his focus from Damon to the court. "Of course that was before the nasty gnomes took DeShawn out."

Damon turned, apparently only now noticing what had happened down on the court. Cursing quietly, he whirled around, making his way back without a goodbye, and Klaus's gaze fell on Stefan who had appeared behind him. "Long time no see, little Salvatore. I hear you're the one who brought her back here. You better hope she doesn't destroy either of my two best players."

Stefan scoffed, raising his chin. "Or?" He looked rather defiant and a bit cocky, and Klaus couldn't help but chuckle. He had to admit that he had always rather liked the younger Salvatore's boldness.

"We shall see," he now said, then waved him off as a growing commotion on the court caught his attention. Not another fight, was it? Grimacing in annoyance, he shot Stefan a last glance. "Do me a favor and bring your brother home. He does need the rest."

Getting up off his seat, he clenched his hands into fists, watching in disbelief as what had started as a nasty foul suddenly turned into the biggest fight the NBA had ever seen.

"What the…"

* * *

...

Enzo came rushing forward, yelling for them to stop! But it was futile. He could try pointing out the two people on the ground all he wanted, the mob wasn't going to listen in time. Taking as deep a breath as he could manage, he therefore hurled forward and at the last second rammed his own body into the oncoming front of people that were about to crush the petite doctor and his injured teammate.

The impact sent him tumbling, making him see stars, but it gave him the time to throw himself over Bonnie and DeShawn, where he tried his best to keep them from getting crushed.

The pretty doc had tried to shield his teammate herself, but she was tiny, and these guys were like giants compared to her. Now he was trying to hold himself upright on his arms above her, with his body building a bridge under which she would be safe until the worst was over.

Closing his eyes, he withstood the pummels and shoves until he felt the mob retreat ever so slightly, then he quickly moved to try and pull both Bonnie and DeShawn out of harm's way.

"Shit, you alright?" someone suddenly asked, and he looked up, blinking, to see a couple of his teammates finally there to help.

Exhaling in exhaustion, he gritted his teeth, then pulled Bonnie to her feet as the others grabbed DeShawn. This had been a damn close call.

* * *

…

Bonnie was shaking, positively shaking.

"You alright, love?"

"Huh?"

Someone was wiping a few strands of hair out of her face, and it took her a moment to realize it was Enzo. Right, she thought, he had been there with her and DeShawn when…

"Bonnie."

Looking up, she couldn't help but stare up at him, her legs shaking so hard now that she felt her knees almost give out. She clutched his wrists, his hands cupping her cheeks as he looked at her with concern, and a half sob, half laugh escaped her.

"I'm okay," she said, "I'm okay…"

His frown only deepened as he looked down on her. Suddenly she distinctly remembered the feeling of his chest pressing against her back, his arms before her, pushing up against the ground until his muscles had started shaking.

"You should sit down, love. Maybe one of your doctor friends can check you over."

Jolting back, she chuckled briefly, shaking her head. "No, I'm… I just need a moment."

"Okay."

"Is DeShawn-"

"They already took him to the hospital."

"Oh." Bonnie frowned, licking her lip. She felt like she had lost some time. How long had she and Enzo been standing there and why hadn't she seen anyone help DeShawn?

Because she was in shock. She almost got crushed, and hadn't it been for Enzo, she would probably also be on her way to the hospital. On a stretcher.

Looking up at him again, she realized that she was still clutching his arms and finally she let go, feeling embarrassed. "I'm sorry," she muttered before her doctor senses kicked back in and her gaze fell on the blood trailing down the side of Enzo's face, dripping onto his jersey.

"That eyebrow might need stitches," Bonnie told him, her voice firmer again, her legs less shaky, and Enzo took a step back, the moment between them over.

"I'm fine."

She scoffed. "You're bleeding. They won't let you continue to play until I fix this anyways." Turning around for help, she spotted one of the bench players that had come out to help and addressed him next, "Kyle, can you help me get him over to the bench?"

"Sure thing, Doc."

Enzo tried to free himself as Kyle grabbed him, but his teammate held on tight, shaking his head. "You heard the doc. What she says goes. So, you and me, we're gonna go over to that bench now until she's had a good look at you. Man, they got you good..."

Enzo's jaw muscles clenched, and he remained noticeably quiet, but at least he finally complied, if reluctantly. When he sat down, Bonnie right on his heels, she vaguely registered him grimacing, holding one arm close to his side.

She kneeled down in front of him next, placing one gloved hand on his head to turn it. "Yeah," she then said. "That'll definitely need stitches. You'll have to come with me."

"Just patch me up. Do the stitches later."

"Enzo. We'll probably need to check-"

"Do whatever you need here. When the game continues, I'll have to be out there. We got another man down."

His insistence made a weird feeling creep up the small of her back. But she had to stand her ground. He wasn't being rational, so she had to be his health's advocate. Sighing, she therefore gave him a stern look and shook her head, already anticipating what he was going to say. "We'll need to make sure you didn't suffer a concussion or any more damage to your ribs…"

He shook his head. "I'm fine."

"We'll see." She pressed a ball of gauze against the lacerated eyebrow, trying to staunch the bleeding. "I'll need someone to help me escort you back toward the lockers." She couldn't risk him passing out on her after all. There was no way she would be able to handle a 6'10 tall guy who fainted.

The assistant coach nodded, then waited for Enzo to get up. Glaring at her, he sighed, then pushed himself up after all, just as the coach came over with a furious looking Klaus Mikaelson in tow. He looked like a completely different person than earlier that night.

"How's he doing?" he now asked, addressing Bonnie, and she shrugged, making a face.

"I can't let him play anymore, not tonight."

Coach Alaric's expression was grim. "Dammit," it escaped him, but then he nodded, just as Klaus shook his head.

"Absolutely not. We need him. After this bloody disaster we'll need all the players we still got left standing."

"Mr. Mikaelson," Bonnie started but he raised a hand to stop her, then stepped close to Enzo, grabbing his chin and turning his head roughly to inspect the cut.

"Lorenzo, you think you can play if she patches this up?

"Yessir."

"Klaus!"

He turned to face her, letting go of Enzo. "You heard the man. Quick, patch this, and someone bring him a clean jersey for goodness' sake. - While I'll go talk to the officials so they won't cancel the game prematurely... What a bloody clusterfuck!" And off he stormed, leaving Bonnie and the rest silent in his wake.

* * *

…

"We'll glue this real quick." Bonnie smiled at Enzo, who looked at her with an almost-smile himself, and she scoffed softly while she finished her handiwork, putting some steri-strips over the newly closed laceration cutting through his eyebrow. "That'll give you a nice new scar. I bet the ladies will love it."

He scoffed, shooting her a glance. A flicker went through his eyes that Bonnie couldn't quite read, and she cringed inwardly. Why the hell had she said that?

"Um." She tried to collect herself, playing over the awkwardness. Swallowing, she spoke again. "As soon as the game is over, you'll come with me so we can give this the proper care." She crossed her arms, watching him nod. Right then, an assistant handed him a new jersey, and he quickly moved to take the stained one off to change. Bonnie could see bruises beginning to form on his skin, and she clicked her tongue, ready to point them out to whoever was there. Coach Saltzman shook his head at her, however, then grabbed Enzo's shoulder.

"This bother you, son? Be honest. If it does, then screw what Mikaelson said, you're out."

"I'm fine, Coach."

"You sure?"

As Enzo nodded, Alaric patted his shoulder, then walked over to Bonnie. "Kid is fine," he said and Bonnie couldn't help but snort.

"Of course he said that. He wants to play. Someone has to-"

"Ms. Bennett. I appreciate you looking out for my players. But they are grown men, and they can make their own decisions. I trust him over you in this case. So let it go, please."

With that he stalked off quickly, not leaving her a chance to disagree.

Enzo smirked at her a little too triumphantly as he got up now, and she scowled at him.

"If you find yourself having more difficulty breathing, you'll have to stop playing. - Even if it happens later, during the night, or tomorrow, you'll let me know, understood? Sometimes, when we are not careful, chest contusions can lead to-"

"Pneumonia, I know." Enzo finished for her, inclining his head. "Do I sense a hint of concern for me?"

"Please." She rolled her eyes. "I'm just being thorough."

His expression morphed into a true smile. "I'm glad you're alright, Bonnie Bennett," he then said, before walking over to where his teammates were already waiting for him, thus leaving her behind, feeling flustered and a little… flattered?

...


	6. It's getting harder to breathe

_..._

_First things first: I added a trigger warning to the start of this story since Enzo's and Lily's "relationship" is tough, to say the least..._

_..._

_Guest: thank you for your review, too! I'm right there with you. lol. I adore Bonnie with Enzo. And I don't like Lily and how she treated Enzo especially..._

_Jade: yay, you're here! (Thanks for your kind words regarding __**Electrum**_ _and the happy ending for Bonenzo in that one. And regarding my warped imagination. lol)_

_And yeah, while Michael is more handsome, Gallinari does remind me of him. And he's kinda cute too. If you can call a 6'10 guy cute. lol_

_..._

_Clippers are playing tonight, btw. Probably their last game these playoffs. But I'll be cheering for them. :)_

…

_Two questions: Has anyone watched the Project Blue Book show? Is it any good?_

_And: what's you guys' favorite Bonenzo fic (on this site or elsewhere)? I'm always looking for more stories about these two. Maybe there's some out there I haven't found yet. Maybe there's one hiding on here that isn't marked as even having these two characters in it. *GASP* lol_

_But let's continue..._

* * *

…

Klaus took a deep breath, trying to calm himself when he saw Ms. Caroline Forbes appear in front of him again. He was still riled after what had happened down on the court. But thankfully the game was going to be continued any moment now, and despite a heavy fine they'd have to pay, they hadn't suffered too much.

Still. He was going to make whoever started this pay. Good thing St. John was still able to play. With Damon, Marcel, Lincoln and now DeShawn out, they were starting to have a serious injury problem. He could only hope the Brit would be able to keep up his insane play and help them turn this game around.

"Klaus, hi." The blonde beamed at him so disarmingly that he forgot his anger for a moment.

"We seem to be running into each other a lot lately…"

Her smile widened even more if that was possible, and he felt an answering one tugging at his own lips, too. He simply couldn't stay grumpy in her presence it seemed. He only hoped after Lily Salvatore and the fight they were done with bad surprises for the night.

"I hope the team is okay. Scary fight, that. - I was just going to check on my friend Bonnie," Caroline said, twirling a strand of hair in her fingers, then stopping herself when his gaze made her aware of what she was doing. He smirked, his eyes finding hers.

"Ms. Bennett is doing well. I just saw her. But why don't you come with me, watch the rest of the game from there."

"Oh, I… uh…" Caroline seemed to be making up her mind, looking a little helplessly over to where her other friend - the one Elijah had taken a strange interest in - was waiting.

"Why don't I send my brother over to get your friend, too," he said, taking her hand before she had a chance to decline his offer, and still he was strangely relieved when she nodded.

"How could I say no to that."

"Smart girl."

She frowned at his cocky reply, but still had half a smile on her face. "Clearly you don't have a problem with self-confidence, do you, Klaus Mikaelson?"

"That is certainly something no one has ever found me guilty of. But please, tell me more about that store of yours. I'd love to pick your brains to see how we can make our 'merch stand' more of a success…"

"Okay…" She whipped her hair back, smiling almost self-consciously, then followed him, and he knew that he had her. He _had_ her, and it felt oh so good. He just didn't quite understand why this was so important to him, why _she_ was so important, when he hadn't even known her just a mere few hours ago. But somehow this girl had done to him in just a few minutes spent together what no one before her had managed. She had found a sneaky path straight into his cold cold heart.

* * *

…

"You alright, Bonnie? I can't believe they didn't let you go home." Luke huffed, fussing over her as they both had taken up their courtside spots again, and Bonnie had to admit it was nice to have someone care about her like that. But she was fine. And they _had _offered to have someone drive her home.

"I told them I want to stay," she admitted now, her eyes on the game, yet still she caught the glance Luke shot her.

"You're crazy, Bennett. Why did you wanna stay after that?!"

Chuckling, she shrugged. She had asked herself the same question and hadn't found an answer yet. "No idea. Maybe I _am _crazy."

"Or maybe you're falling for the dashing British baller that came to your rescue earlier-"

"No," she interrupted him, chuckling as she shook her head. "That's not what's happening."

"Isn't it, though? I mean, like I said, I don't blame you. Kid _is _handsome. Just like Mr. Vampire. You got good taste."

"Luke…"

She didn't know why, but his teasing was beginning to get to her. Like she had to defend herself somehow.

"Okay, okay. I'll stop now. You know I'm just making fun, right?"

"Yeah…"

He nudged her side. "I'm sorry. I know you are still working on your… 'relationship' with Damon."

She raised her eyebrows in acknowledgement, tilting her head toward him. He wasn't wrong. Getting over that stupid crush was slow business, especially since she got to hang out with Damon so much these days. Which complicated matters. Because he _was _hot, and she spent hours close to him. Oh, too damn many...

Pulling herself together before her imagination could go too overboard, she straightened in her seat. She was strong, right? She got this. She wasn't going to keep crushing on a patient, on a darn basketball player to boot. No. Bonnie Bennett was better than that. She was a professional. And she sure as hell wasn't ever going to go out with any baller.

Ever.

As Luke beside her had fallen silent, Bonnie finally managed to catch some more of the game, finding herself keeping an eye on a certain someone, if only for professional reasons. She needed to make sure Enzo wasn't aggravating himself too much, or coughing too much, or that his brow didn't start bleeding again. That was her job after all. There was nothing more to it.

Absolutely not.

She bit her lip, holding onto the rim of her seat as she kept watching, unaware of the pointed sideways glances Luke shot her.

* * *

…

Five more minutes. Five minutes that could still change the entire game. Enzo was dribbling the ball with leisure, trying to run down the clock. They had managed to catch up again, were even leading. But it was still just a six point game, and time was their enemy.

He watched the seconds ticking away, the crowd growing nervous, even some of his teammates were beginning to look fidgety. Finally, he ducked, dribbled to the side to get rid of the defensive player that had tagged him the entire time, and shaking him off, he raced up to the hoop and…

… Scored. Two points.

There was no time to wonder what would have happened if he hadn't made that shot. Already he was racing after the Celtics who were trying their hardest to still beat them. There was Hayward, Kyrie… - who scored from three. Damn. And a beautiful shot, too.

The rebound was Enzo's, but this time he passed the ball, seeing an opportunity. As he jogged after Jamarcus, a fellow bench player who had done really well after joining the game, he shot a brief glance at the crowd, and for a split second he thought he saw that too familiar face again. Lily. But she had probably just taken up residence in his bloody mind, and he clenched his hands, suddenly racing forward as he forced his full focus back on the game. Jamarcus had tried from three and failed, the ball went to the Celtics, but… Enzo made the move and managed a steal, grimacing as the sudden sideways movement made his ribs protest with a lightning of pain.

Breathing was growing a bit more strenuous, too, but nothing he hadn't dealt with before.

Seconds flew by, whole minutes passed, until just one was left.

One minute, he could do that.

His teammate passed the ball to him, and dancing the same dance as before, Enzo dribbled his way, slowing the game down, evading those that wanted to return the favor and steal the ball from him. Then he took a breath, managing only a shallow one, but it had to suffice, had to be enough for him to jump and lift an arm to lob the ball into the air, making a shot from three as well.

It went in.

The feeling of relief was as instant as the damn pain in his side. The game was theirs, not a chance for the opposing team to still turn it around. The Hybrids had won.

He didn't race after them this time, just walked, trying to take it easy, to keep his breathing in check as best as he could while he watched Kyrie score for the Celtics one last time.

And just like that the game was over, the home audience ecstatic, the coach happy. Enzo grinned over at the man, at an excited Niklaus, then at his teammates. Briefly, his gaze met the cute little doctor's for just a few seconds, too, and his smile widened. She seemed unharmed, unscathed after her earlier near collision. Good.

She wasn't so bad after all, this Bonnie Bennett. She was a doctor, yeah, but… she seemed alright for one. So far.

A few pats on the shoulder, a few words with Kyrie, and an interview later, he finally made his way down the hallway into the depth of the large stadium, ready to shower and call it a night, but he had barely vanished from view when he saw _her_, just standing there, waiting, like she had promised - or rather, threatened - and his body tensed as if of its own accord as he tried to just walk past her once again.

Lily.

"Lorenzo." She moved, a few rushed steps until her hand almost touched his, and he backed away, evading her with a wide movement and a hissed, "Back off!" that made her jolt back as if he had slapped her.

One of the orderlies thankfully quickly noticed that something was going on, someone down in the hallway who didn't bloody belong, and he came jogging over, placing himself between Lily and Enzo, the gap between them quickly widening now as Enzo walked away.

"Ma'am, you can't be back here," he heard the orderly say, then Lily's soft voice in reply.

"I'm sorry."

He could hear the smile in her tone; she could be so charming… But Enzo didn't look back, didn't stop. He knew better. He knew _her. _He just kept walking, a little faster now, ignoring his upset lungs, until he knew he was out of her sight and he could slow down, breathing in short bursts.

"Lorenzo, can we please talk?!" Louder now, not as sweet. There was the demanding Lily he remembered.

"Ma'am. I need you to leave. Now. Or..."

"Of course. Yes. I'm so sorry." Back was the sweetness, the seeming understanding.

Enzo clenched his jaw hard. His hands were curled into too tight fists, making his nails dig into the palms of his hands. His heart was pounding in his ears, making him feel half deaf. And why did she have such an effect on him still? Why couldn't he function when she was around?

She needed to stay the hell out of his life. Shaking his head and raising his chin, he finally continued walking, trying all the while to just keep breathing.

Keep breathing.

* * *

…

"Hey…" Bonnie looked up as she saw Enzo rush past her, and when he didn't even acknowledge her, the old annoyance was back. What was it with that guy and his rudeness? She thought they had taken a step forward, away from that. But now he was back to being his usual arrogant self.

Inhaling deeply, she steeled herself, then jogged after him. Not because she wanted to, or cared, but he still needed to get real stitches and the evaluation of his head and ribs and she couldn't just let that go.

Meanwhile the hallway was crowding with the rest of the players and coaches, but she was swift and just small enough to quickly weasel through, getting to Enzo just before he could vanish into the locker room.

She grabbed his arm, not thinking twice about it until he whirled around, his eyes so dark, his face so angry that he looked ready to strike. Bonnie let go almost immediately, backing away as he stared at her blankly before recognition returned to his features.

"Bonnie."

She kept staring at him for a full minute, people passing them to get into the locker room, but all she could focus on was his face and the way his body was tense as a rod.

"I'm sorry," she eventually got out, though she wasn't even sure what she should be sorry for. It wasn't like her grip could have hurt him or anything. And she hadn't exactly assaulted him, right? That he didn't make any attempt to comment on his weird behavior didn't help matters either. Waiting in uncomfortable silence for a little while longer, she eventually just decided to shake it off and pretend it had never happened.

"You'll need those stitches now. We've waited long enough. The game is over…"

Finally he seemed to be snapping out of it, and running a hand over his neck, he looked up, then nodded at her. "Right. Yeah."

"Okay. Um…" She licked her lip, looking around, half hoping she'd spot Luke or the head of meds, or even the coach, but suddenly the hallway was deserted, though loud chattering could be heard from the room before them. "Okay, let's get this over with," she muttered, realizing too late that she had said it out loud when Enzo smiled at her.

"One could think you're the one getting the stitches, love," he said, and Bonnie had to huff and put her hands against her hips as she glared at him, although this time she was more annoyed with herself than with him.

"Yeah, well. You wouldn't believe it, but some of my patients are ridiculously stubborn and that makes my job kinda hard at times. Even just something as simple as stitches, or, you know, a quick chest x-ray can turn into something quite demanding…" Her pointed stare made him chuckle softly, and suddenly he seemed like a completely different person.

"Send that moron my way, I'll have a word with him," he said with a wink that almost made her think he was flirting, then he walked past her, knowing the way to the on-site exam room all too well, and she stood there for a few more seconds, marveling at how quickly he had morphed from scary and distant to almost… charming.

* * *

…

The exam went okay, the stitches too, and Enzo had been out of there so quickly that Bonnie had been able to clean up and get ready to leave thankfully quickly. Still, most everyone had left already by the time she finally made it out of there.

She was so ready to see a friendly face and just be gone...

"BonBon!"

She made a face, turning around as soon as she heard the voice and that nickname that no one else used. Grabbing the strap of her bag a little tighter, she forced a smile onto her face.

"Damon. You're supposed to be at home, putting that leg up."

He beamed at her too nonchalantly. "Yeah well, what can I say. I was needed elsewhere. And good thing, too. This way I got to see this whole drama unfold right before my eyes. A real fight, and I didn't even get to take part in it." He almost looked genuinely sad about that, and Bonnie pressed her lips together in a grimace, shaking her head.

"Well, I could have done without it."

Real concern flickered to the surface of Damon's features and all of a sudden Bonnie found herself standing what seemed way too close too him. He touched her chin with his hand, and she had trouble breathing.

"I'm glad you're okay," he muttered, his voice hoarse and loaded with emotion, making her breath hitch. Then, abruptly, he pulled back, mirth returning to his features in an instant. "Remind me to thank my boy Enzo for protecting you so valiantly. Although… do I need to be jealous? He and you, you're not…" He made a gesture with his hands, indicating closeness, or at least that's how Bonnie read it.

"What?" Her eyes widened, then she frowned, quickly shrugging it off. "No, he… he was just helping me protect DeShawn."

"Right. So, no sparks flying? You won't dump me for him now? I mean, he's got that accent of his…"

She chuckled, feeling her cheeks start to burn. Why did everyone seem to think they had the right to put her on the spot like that. It wasn't like she had wanted Enzo to be the one who came to her rescue. Or like she had had a choice.

To Damon, she said, "You won't get rid of me so easily. - And contrary to some others, I couldn't care less about a stupid accent." Involuntarily, she rolled her eyes, remembering another individual with an obnoxious accent who had suddenly turned on her earlier.

"Had a run in with our lovely manager, too, huh?" Damon grinned, and Bonnie shot him a glare.

"He seemed nice enough at first. Until he undermined my professional opinion."

Raising an eyebrow, Damon frowned at her. "What did he do?"

She was about to reply, to tell him all about it, when she caught herself at the last minute. "Yeah, I can't tell you that."

"Ah," he made, "something like doctor-patient-confidentiality? Does that still apply with Klaus in the know?"

"Damon…" She shook her head, unwilling to discuss this. He kind of had a point maybe, but still. She took these things seriously and despite the different nature of the way more public health status of a professional athlete, she wasn't going to talk about it to just anyone. Even if Damon was a friend…

He gave a regretful sigh, but nodded. They had started walking toward the exit together at some point during their conversation and as Bonnie spotted Caroline waiting outside, she clutched her bag and turned on her foot to look at him properly.

"Well, I gotta go now." She smiled as he grinned down at her now, leaning heavily on his crutches. "You look exhausted, Damon Salvatore. You should go, too."

"Wish I could," he said with a sigh, a sudden heaviness to his words that made her frown.

"Everything okay?"

"Yup. - I'll let you go, Bonnie Bennett. See you tomorrow." With that he turned around abruptly, walking back into the stadium rather than out, and Bonnie couldn't help but wonder what the hell that was about. Almost everyone had left already after all, so why didn't he?

But it wasn't her business, was it? Her business was getting home now and putting her own tired feet up and maybe have a drink with Caroline to finally get those nerves under control so that she would be able to sleep.

* * *

...

"Girl!" Caroline yelled over to Bonnie just as she finally made her way over to her. "That looked sooo scary back there. You alright? Klaus said you were okay, or I would have come to check on you."

"'Klaus said,' huh? So you two met again…"

Bonnie chuckled as Care looked at her with a sheepish grin.

"Yes?"

They hugged each other, and only once she felt Caroline's arms around her did Bonnie finally allow herself to slump a little, the excitement and exhaustion of the day finally catching up with her. When they eventually parted, Bonnie looked around them, noticing the last few stragglers leaving, but Elena was noticeably absent.

"Okay, I'm pretty sure we got here with one more person. Where is Ms. Gilbert?" She frowned at Caroline, her eyes widening when the blonde bit her lip and looked away. "Oh my gosh. Please tell me she did not go anywhere with that Mikaelson brother!?"

"I mean, I can't blame her. He was very charming-"

"That is _so _irresponsible!" Bonnie interrupted her heatedly and Caroline shot her a curious glance. "What?!" Bonnie asked, "Come on, she barely knows the guy. He's met him, what? A few hours ago and already she leaves somewhere with him, while poor Matt probably thinks she's still hanging out with us?"

"Bonnie…"

"Ugh."

Caroline fidgeted a little, casting her eyes down. "Well, first. I probably shouldn't talk because I may have already agreed to meet Klaus again." Bonnie shot her a look, sighing as Care continued on. "And second, Elijah was a true gentleman. Elena actually just accepted the ride back because he had said he'd like to talk about that hospital idea a little more."

Scoffing, Bonnie rolled her eyes. "He could have just said that to get in her pants. Geez." She ran a hand over her face, not believing how stupid her friend could be. "I hope you told her to check in every hour at least."

Caroline grinned, nodding. "We're not that stupid."

"Well, good. Still. Caroline."

"I know, I know. Klaus and Elijah are complete strangers. But come on, they're public figures. I doubt Klaus has-"

"Just because you haven't read anything too bad about them doesn't mean it hasn't happened. And you said yourself that Klaus is known for having a bit of a temper. I don't like him."

Caroline shuffled with her feet, feeling defensive. "He was quite nice to you earlier. Why would you not like him all of a sudden?"

Bonnie gave a sigh, hooking her arm to Care's. "I'm sorry. I know you like him, I'll try to be nice. It's just… The asshole went against my medical advice and put one of the player's health at risk. Made me angry, that's all."

Caroline's eyes widened, upset. "Why, what did he do exactly? I can't believe he'd put them in danger. He lives for this team, for these guys."

"Well, he sent one of them straight back to the game despite my warning. The guy could have had a concussion for all we knew-"

"Did he?" Caroline bit her lip, looking at her friend with anxious concern and Bonnie made a face.

"No he didn't," she admitted, "but that's not the point."

"No?" Caroline was confused. "What _is _the point then?"

"That he disrespected me! That… that something could have happened because of it."

"But it didn't, Bonnie. So is it really worth it to get so upset about it now?"

"Yes!" Bonnie was suddenly fuming and Caroline looked at her a bit perplexed. "And that annoying accent of his when he talks to me. All aloof…"

Something finally dawned on Care and she broke into a smile. "The one he sent back out on the court… that wasn't your valiant savior by any chance, was it?"

"My what?" Bonnie huffed, swiping some hair out of her face as she did and Caroline's smile widened.

"Your savior. The guy who protected you from getting smothered. Lorenzo, right? Pretty sexy name, by the way. Rolls off the tongue, don't you think?"

Bonnie looked positively flustered, her brow furrowed as she tried to follow her best friend's words. "Care, what… what the hell are you insinuating?"

Caroline nudged her, putting an arm around her. "That you seem to care about him, silly."

"Of course I do. He's my patient. Or… he was today, and-"

"And he saved you. Which was _pretty_ hot if you ask me."

"Well, I'm not." Bonnie crossed her arms, pouting now. "Asking you, I mean. I'm not asking you. It was…" She trailed off, clearly thrown off and lost for words and Caroline began laughing in earnest, making Bonnie's frown only grow.

"What."

"It's pretty funny, isn't it? How all three of us end up falling for a guy within one night? And you just blamed Elena-"

Scoffing, Bonnie rolled her eyes. "I don't know what the hell is going on with Elena, but you've been crushing on Klaus Mikaelson for months now, and I am _not _falling for anyone. Thank you very much."

"Not even a little bit?"

"No! Gosh, Caroline…"

Care continued chuckling but eventually decided to let it go. If Bonnie didn't see it yet, that was okay. The poor girl was after all still trying to come to terms with her Damon-crush, and she had probably not anticipated the solution to her problem being one where she developed feelings for another baller…

"Come on, let's just go home, shall we?"

"Oh gosh, yes, please."

The two girls side-hugged briefly, then slowly went on their way when Bonnie spotted that woman she had seen with Enzo earlier, and a sudden cold crept into her as she froze, stopping Caroline in her tracks too.

"Bonnie, what-"

"That woman," she said, jerking her head just a little bit, "I think that's Damon's mother."

Caroline's eyes widened. "The one who fucked a teenager?" she asked rather bluntly, driving home a point, and Bonnie felt a lump grow in her throat as she finally understood why Damon hadn't left yet.

Was Enzo still there, too? She hadn't seen him coming out, had she?

What was she supposed to do?

* * *

…

A shower and some fresh clothes later, and Enzo found himself sitting before his locker, waiting until almost everyone had left.

He had managed to fool them all for long enough, had smiled and chatted with his team, had listened to the coach's talk, had even withstood a hair ruffle by Klaus bloody Mikaelson. But now that he was almost alone, he began wondering whether _she_ was still out there somewhere and suddenly he felt stuck. Because he couldn't go out there if Lily was still around, waiting for him. And he simply knew that she was.

He didn't want to have to face her again. Ever.

Closing his eyes, he leaned back, but that aggravated his ability to breathe and so he sat back up, clenching the bench as he tried to actively force more air into his lungs. Again he was breathing too fast, too shallowly. His left side was not happy with that, either.

"Dude, you alright?"

Jamarcus had appeared from behind his locker, holding his bag and ready to leave, and he was looking at him with a concern Enzo didn't like, but he grinned up at his teammate anyways, nodding.

"Yeah."

"You sure? I can see whether the doc is still here somewhere, or at least the coach-"

"Nah, I'll be right out."

"Got your inhaler?"

Enzo clenched his teeth, the old upset feeling back. Everyone knew about his damn "condition" and he bloody hated it at times. But he forced himself to just grin and bear it and not snap poor Jamarcus's head right off for being concerned.

"Yup. Thanks."

"You got it, brother. Insane game today by the way. You're killing it lately, man. - Didn't think _I_'d get to play, either."

"You did well, mate."

Jamarcus beamed at him, then looked up as they both heard an all too familiar voice call out.

"Aaah, doesn't this feel like home. The smell of sweat, hard work, and shower gel. Oh locker room, how I've missed thee."

Damon grinned at them, patting Jamarcus on the back before he limped over to Enzo, who rolled his eyes at him.

"You're not supposed to be here…"

"Yeah, about that…" Damon gave him an awkward look that was both concerning and funny, although Enzo already knew what his friend was going to say next. "There's someone else here that is really - and I mean _really _\- not supposed to be here."

"I know." Enzo gave him a look and Damon's expression changed into a shocked one.

"You've seen her? Lily? She been bothering you?"

Why did breathing have to be so damn hard sometimes?

"Enzo?"

Right, Damon had asked a question. Enzo sighed, reluctantly rummaging for an inhaler, acutely aware of Damon's stare boring into him as he used it.

"Want me to grab dear BonBon to look at you? She's still hanging with her friend outside..."

"Damon-"

Damon winked at him before he had a chance to say more, jerking his head in their teammate's direction, much to Enzo's dismay. "Hey, Jamarcus, do me a favor? Get Bon over here? She should still be in front of the stadium somewhere."

"Damon, stop. I don't need-"

"Tout suite, please? I want her to look at my boy over here."

Jamarcus grinned before Enzo's glare made him look away. "I'll get her. - Told him he should see her…"

"Yeah well, we all know how stubborn dear Lorenzo can be sometimes, don't we?"

Enzo swallowed, staring daggers at Damon, but unfortunately he was beginning to think that maybe they were right. Maybe he did need a little extra medical attention after today, though admitting that even just to himself wasn't easy. But this bloody inhaler simply seemed to be doing the lousiest job.

As soon as Jamarcus was gone, Damon flopped onto the bench right next to Enzo.

"Dude, not to alarm you, but your lips are turning a bit blue and it's not a good look."

"Damon, I swear. If you. Don't. Shut up-"

"Okay, okay. Easy, my friend. Lil's gotten to you, hasn't she? I'm sorry, man. Stefan only told me once he got to my place and I've been trying to track her down ever since. She hasn't bothered you yet, has she? I mean… you didn't run into her?"

Enzo gave him a pointed look that clearly was answer enough.

Abruptly, Damon dropped his chirpy act. "Shit. She do anything?"

Enzo tilted his head, shrugging. Because no, she hadn't really done anything. Although that small touch earlier had been enough to make a feeling of disgust creep into him. Just seeing her had stirred up memories he would have preferred to stay buried deep deep down and out of sight. But she hadn't done anything to him. Not today.

He pulled at his shirt absently as Damon nodded. "Let's get you home."

Enzo scoffed. "Let's get _you _home. _You _are the one. Who shouldn't. Be here…"

He was trying to sit up straighter, trying to get his lungs to expand, to let more air in, but…

Stupid Lily. Why was she here? Why did she have to show up and…

He made a face, fighting his body's sudden reaction, fighting to breathe, to stay in control. But he was failing.

Suddenly Damon's hands were on his face, half shoving him against the locker behind him now and only then did he realize that he had almost just passed out and fallen over, straight onto the ground beneath him, because he could just not breathe anymore.

He needed air.

He needed-


	7. Sharing a moment

_Thanks so much for the story recommendations! And the reviews. :)_

_Sorry for dragging this out so much, but I write guilty pleasure fics so there's that…_

* * *

...

There had barely been enough time for Bonnie to worry too much about what to make of Damon's mother's presence before she was startled out of her thoughts by Jamarcus coming out of the stadium, running toward her at an impressive speed.

"Doc! Doc, we need you inside."

Her heart sank to the bottom, feeling like a rock inside of her. Oh gosh. Damon hadn't somehow managed to get his leg ruined even more, had he? The idiot was just so careless. Spending an entire evening out and about on damn crutches when he should have been at home, resting.

What if he had developed a blood clot or…

"Please, doc."

She jolted out of her thoughts, shooting Caroline a quick glance. "Go," her friend mouthed, "I'll wait here."

Then Bonnie ran off, Jamarcus kindly carrying her bag for her.

"What's going on?" she asked as they both ran inside, and Jamarcus shot her a brief glance.

"Locker room," he bit out, "Enzo's having some trouble breathing. Can't be that good if _Damon_ asks me to get help."

Enzo?… Crap. Bonnie cursed under her breath. This was Klaus's fault, too. And Enzo's, for being so stubborn. And her own. She had known he had asthma, had a damn chest cold, and had gotten his ribs bruised. She should have just made him check into a damn hospital for the night.

But she hadn't. She hadn't even asked him to anymore, because they all had just trampled over her words of advice before anyways. Klaus, Enzo, the coach. They had all wanted to see him play, and play he did.

Now he was paying the price.

"Right here," Jamarcus said holding the door open for Bonnie as they had made it to their destination, and short of breath herself, she was panting by the time she found Enzo sitting on one of the benches, an uncharacteristically worried looking Damon sitting beside him, holding him upright.

"Bon. Would you mind helping Mr. Blue Lips over here get some more oxygen into his lazy lungs?"

Ignoring his weak attempt at his usual banter, she quickly got to her knees in front of Enzo, whose gaze locked on hers almost immediately, a look in them she hadn't ever seen there before.

Panic.

She looked at him earnestly, putting a hand to his cheek. "Have you used the inhaler?"

He managed a nod but didn't seem to be able to speak. Not good. Bonnie made a face, quickly catching herself so as not to make him panic even more, and she smiled at him.

"You're going to be okay," she told him, her voice firm, in control. Because one of them needed to be in charge here, and that was her. They were all looking at her for guidance: Enzo, Damon, Jamarcus, and as strange as it seemed, she knew that she got this.

This was her job, and she was good at it.

Checking his pulse, she found that it was racing, every breath he took a struggle, and he was wheezing pretty badly. She hadn't seen an asthma attack this severe in a long time, and she was starting to get worried that she might have to intubate him if she couldn't get this under control.

"Jamarcus, call 911," she ordered, making him look at her with a sudden panic that hadn't been there before.

"What? I thought now that you're here-"

"We'll need to get him to the hospital no matter what. Call them. Now."

"Okay…"

"Bon, please tell me you got this," Damon begged, and she shot him a glance, noticing just how uneasy he was, before focusing back on Enzo, checking the oxygen levels of his blood while at the same time motioning toward the inhaler that Enzo was still clutching with one hand. "Use it again," she told him, hoping against hope that maybe that would already do the trick.

He brought his arm up and the inhaler to his mouth, and Bonnie could see the strain behind even the smallest movements. She'd have to put him on an IV and try to get him to normalize his breathing somehow.

Oh gosh, she really didn't want to have to intubate, especially not here, not now, with no one there to really help her.

Taking a deep breath of her own, she calmly explained to him what she was doing, getting his arm ready for the IV as she did, talking him through each little step.

"You're gonna have to help me here," she informed him, putting on a smile for his sake. "You're gonna breathe with me, okay? In… and out. No." She shook her head as he was struggling, the wheezing making her hairs stand on end. Quickly, she finished inserting the needle for the IV, then started the drip. "Can you hold this up?" she asked Jamarcus and the kid nodded as she was already looking back at Enzo.

"Bon…" Damon hissed her name urgently. He was still holding Enzo up pushed against the locker, and the raw worry in his face was enough to make Bonnie force herself to ignore him for now. She didn't need or want to know just how bad this attack really was. All she wanted was for it to be over, for her to be able to help Enzo fight through this. But he had grown considerably weaker even within the few minutes she had been there. It was hard to believe he had withstood the onslaught of all those players earlier, protecting her, saving her.

Now it was time to repay him for that, for her to save _him_.

Eyeing the drip briefly to make sure it was working, she grabbed Enzo's hands, placing them on her chest and stomach. Then she placed her own on his. "We're going to do this together now, okay?" she told him, smiling, readjusting his hands as he tried to pull away.

"Feel how I'm breathing. In… and out… in… out."

His lips were blue, his fingernails too. She needed the damn IV to work, needed him to focus.

"Come on, Enzo. You got this. You've been through this before, right?"

He just stared at her, his eyes moving, too short breaths making him wheeze as he held her gaze with such desperation that she had the urge to just hug him.

"You can do this again," she whispered, "The IV is doing its job; but you need to do yours. Breathe with me. Enzo. In… out… in… out…"

His eyes were listing, his grip on her loosening until she put her hands over his, taking a nice deep breath followed by a long exhalation.

"Can you feel that?" she asked, "In through the nose… and out through your mouth. In… and out… Look at me. In… out… in… out…"

And finally, slowly, slowly, so achingly slowly, he did it. His breathing calmed down, the wheezing grew less pronounced. Bonnie smiled, putting her hands back on his chest and stomach, feeling it too. It was a strange intimate moment, as if she was stuck in a bubble with him, a snowglobe perhaps, and everyone else was miles away.

She was vaguely aware that Damon looked up at some point, saying something to someone, to Jamarcus, who was suddenly back now, with two paramedics in tow, but when they came closer and she saw Enzo shoot a panicked glance over in their direction, his breathing hitching yet again, she waved them off, half yelling now for them to "Go, go, go. Everyone, out! Give us a moment."

And just like that they were alone.

* * *

…

Damon leaned against the wall, exhaling slowly as he ran both hands over his face. His crutches stood leaning right next to him, but he wasn't going to touch those for a while longer. He felt like he had just run a damn marathon, he was that exhausted. His leg was protesting, too, but mostly, his idiot friend had given him such a damn scare that he had almost forgotten to breathe himself.

"Man, that was…" Poor Jamarcus stood in the hallway, pointing over his shoulder at the door to the locker room, clearly impressed by what he had seen. "Has he been this bad before?".

Damon shot him a glance. "It's been very well managed for a damn long time," he evaded the question, glad when his teammate left it at that and just nodded.

"Um, listen," one of the paramedics started, stepping from one foot to the next as he shot his colleague a glance. "Not sure who called this in, but if this is not an emergency-"

"Did you see the kid in there? This _is _a damn emergency and just because the doc sent you out for a moment doesn't mean that it's over and you can go. You'll wait until she tells you what to do next." He didn't have the patience for this shit. Not on top of everything else that had been going on today.

And where the hell was his stupid brother? Somehow he had lost him, too, which wouldn't have been too much of a problem had Stefan not been his ride.

Taking out his phone, he quickly messaged him, hoping for a swift reply.

~ _Where u at?_ ~

It didn't take long at all.

~ _Outside. Where the hell are YOU? Saw an ambulance outside. Everything alright?_ ~

Damon made a face, curling his lip in annoyance. There was a certain tone to that message that he really didn't like.

~ _Dealing with the fallout of your idiotic idea_. ~

~ _The fuck is that supposed to mean?_ ~

He rolled his eyes, unwilling to spell it out for Stefan.

~ _Be out soon. TTYL_ ~

He put his phone away, ignoring the beeps when consecutive messages kept coming in. Stefan would learn more about it all soon enough.

"Man, you think they'll need me to stick around more?"

Damon jolted back and looked up at Jamarcus, contemplating the boy's question, then he shook his head.

"Nah. We got this. I'm here. Thanks, man. On behalf of him, too." He jerked his head toward the closed doors and Jamarcus nodded.

"You got it, man. Hope he'll be back to normal ASAP, we need him now that you're out. - You get better too, Vampire."

Damon chuckled, shaking his teammate's hand. "Working on it, working on it…"

As soon as Jamarcus made his way out, the paramedic piped up again, too.

"We really can't just wait around here," he said, looking to his colleague as if for backup, and Damon sighed, rolling his eyes. He had a good snarky remark for them, but then decided to go a different route. After all they were here to help, and BonBon and the Brit had spent enough time making out alone in there. It was time to get this underway.

Raising an arm, he plastered on a grin, then grabbed his crutches. "Why don't I check for you guys, huh?" With that he banged the door open with one crutch, then stepped back inside.

* * *

…

Caroline had been waiting outside for a while when she saw a young man walk up to the woman who was supposedly Damon's mom and who had been waiting around as long as her by now, and she couldn't help but watch them as they gave each other a hug, then began talking in hushed tones.

She frowned, checking her phone for any messages from Bonnie. Should she maybe just go inside? It was getting rather late…

Deciding to give it a little longer, she sat down on a bench and kept checking whether the other two were also still waiting. And they were… Just like her.

At some point an ambulance came by, two paramedics running in, and she saw the young man text someone as the handsome lady grew more and more agitated.

She was just about to go in and check on Bonnie when her own phone vibrated. Expecting it to be a message from her best friend, she was surprised when she realized it was from Klaus.

~ _Thanks for sharing your advice today, Caroline Forbes. It was a lovely evening_. ~

She smiled to herself, clutching her phone a little harder as she tried to come up with a reply. What to write that didn't sound completely cheesy, or worse, like she didn't care?

~ _Thank_ _YOU._ ~

There. Short but sweet. That should do the trick, right? She kept staring at her phone, waiting for him to write again. Waiting and waiting, she kept checking, but there was nothing, and her heart began to sink. What had she expected, though? What else was he supposed to write? There really was nothing more to say. He had been nice and respectful and a real gentleman, and-

Her phone buzzed in her pocket and she pulled it out with lightning speed.

~ _Is it wrong that I can't stop thinking about you?_ ~

Her knees grew weak, that stupid smile back on her face. She was on cloud nine, feeling like a teenager dealing with her first crush. Because Klaus Mikaelson was thinking about her.

Now, what should she write back? Closing her eyes, she tried to think, forgetting the world around her.

~ _I can't stop thinking about you, either. I may have been thinking about you for a lot longer than tonight, too…_ ~

She pressed 'send' before she had really thought it through, immediately regretting it as her face grew hot and cold. Oh gosh…

Suddenly her phone rang. Gulping, she stared at it for a while, just holding it in her now shaking hands.

When she looked up to scan her surroundings, there was no one there anymore. With a frown, she shrugged, then took a deep breath, answering the call.

"Hello, Caroline."

His voice made her tingle instantly…

"Klaus…"

She tried to think of Bonnie's warning words, but she couldn't really think anymore. This was too damn exciting.

"I can see you're still outside the stadium."

She whirled around, the tingle growing alongside her smile.

"Then you know my friend is not far and I'm not as alone as it seems."

"I'm not here to harm you…"

A car pulled up, a door opening, and Caroline bent down a bit to be able to see.

It was him.

"Would you like to ride through the night with me for a bit, Caroline Forbes?"

Oh yes, she would like that very much...

* * *

…

Enzo's jaw was clenched so hard it hurt. But it didn't matter, it was just one small pain among many. Just one small thing…

His eyes closed, he was resting his head against the locker behind him, ready to just keel over and sleep. He was so bloody exhausted, so empty, so…

"You're okay now…"

His eyelids fluttered open and he saw Bonnie smiling at him, still sitting right in front of him, and he couldn't help but feel so much gratitude for her that it was hard to put it into words. He had felt like he was drowning and she had pulled him back up.

He licked his too dry lips, trying out his voice again.

"Thank you, Bonnie Bennett," he muttered, his throat raw, his body too tired to say much more, but her smile grew.

"Anytime," she said, then tilted her head. "Although, let's try and not make this a regular occurrence, shall we?"

He chuckled, then coughed, and Bonnie rubbed his chest in a way that shouldn't have felt as reassuring and good as it did. He grabbed her hand, holding it, and she didn't pull away.

Eventually, she got up, checking on the IV, checking his fingertips, holding his other hand in the gentlest grasp as she did, then she sat down on the bench right beside him, resting her head too.

After they had sat like that for a while, she finally pushed herself forward a little, then looked at him. "Think you're ready for them to bring you to the hospital?"

As if on cue the damn paramedics showed up again, led by Damon, whose sour expression turned into one of triumph as soon as he spotted them.

"Hallelujah! The Bonster has saved you, Lorenzo. What a blessed day."

Enzo rolled his eyes at him, but before Damon could say anything else, the paramedics came closer and closer and he turned his attention to them, suddenly wary and on edge. He wasn't going to go anywhere with them. If anyone really believed he was, then they had a surprise coming.

"No hospital," he muttered, the mere two words taking it out of him and he fell silent, taking a heaving breath that made Bonnie instantly alert again.

"Enzo, please. You got lucky I didn't have to intubate. It was damn close. I really think you should be monitored at the hospital, at least for 24 hours, better yet 48."

He shook his head no. She was probably right, he knew that. He hadn't had an attack this severe in forever, but…

"No."

She scoffed, wiping a hand over her mouth, exchanging a glance with Damon and the paramedics that he didn't catch, and that made him anxious, too.

"He needs to go," she was saying as if he wasn't there, and he was too exhausted to complain, to make a quip, anything. All he wanted was to fall into his own bed and just sleep.

"Lorenzo, you heard the lady."

Glaring up at Damon, he shook his head, just a small movement, but it was enough for his friend to get the message.

"Yeah, sorry fellas. He's not coming with you."

"Damon! This…no." Bonnie shook her head, so angry now that it was kind of endearing in a weird sort of way and when she came real close again, trying so hard to be nice because he was her patient at the moment and was still rather poorly, he had to weakly smile at her, almost feeling sorry that she had to deal with him.

But he wasn't going to budge, wasn't going to any bloody hospital.

"Enzo, don't be stupid. You saw what happens when you don't listen to me."

"I can't…" He closed his eyes, trying to remember to take deep breaths, and then he felt her hand on his chest again, the other on his stomach as she said in a soft and soothing tone that he didn't deserve, "Easy. Remember, in through the nose, out through the mouth…"

He opened his eyes, staring at her, nodding as he did what she had told him. He could do this.

"Goddammit!" Damon loudly cursed, then turned to the paramedics yet again. "Thank you boys, but you're not needed here after all."

He pushed some bills on them, then returned his focus on Enzo and Bonnie, the latter glaring at him angrily as the two paramedics left.

"We'll send an invoice," one of them said.

Damon waved them off with an eyeroll. "Yaya. And the Hybrids will gladly pay…" Then he patted Enzo's cheek, making him glare up at his friend. "And you, my dear friend. What are we gonna do with you?"

Bonnie huffed. "For starters, we'll have to get him the hell out of here. And how do you think we're gonna manage that now? You with your leg and I… he's a freaking giant!"

"I can walk."

"No!" Both Damon and Bonnie shot, glaring first at him then at each other, and he was too tired to argue so he eventually just got up, tugging at the IV, making Bonnie whirl around and slap his hand away.

"The hell do you think you're doing?!"

He sighed, wiping over his face with one hand as she took care of the IV for him, putting a piece of gauze over the site.

"Sit your ass down," she ordered. "I can't have you pass out on me."

He smirked, but complied, his expression already blank again by the time he sank against the locker once more.

"I'm so tired," he muttered, grimacing, vaguely catching the nervous and worried look Bonnie shot him, then Damon.

"I'll get Stef. Lorenzo: Don't fight with him, okay? He'll just have to help us get you in the damn car. That's it."

"I got no problem with Stefan. Other than him being an entitled prick."

Damon slapped him, making him flinch away, resulting in Bonnie slapping Damon.

"What? He just insulted my brother," Damon whined, holding up his arms as he looked at Bonnie.

"He almost died," she hissed back in a whisper she clearly thought he couldn't hear, and Enzo had to smile to himself. It was kind of nice to have someone stand up for him.

"So?"

Bonnie raised an eyebrow. "So you don't freaking slap him!"

"It was just a friend-thing," Damon apologized, shrugging, but Bonnie wasn't having it.

"Show your friendship in a better way," she shot back, then seemed to compose herself. "And where is that brother of yours? We could really use the help now that _you _sent the paramedics away. And I'm telling you, _I_ can't help him get anywhere. He's too freaking tall and heavy. If he passes out he'll crush me."

Damon chuckled and Bonnie slapped him again.

"See?" He beamed proudly. "Told ya it's a friend-thing. You caught on quickly."

She scoffed, shaking her head as she turned away from Damon. Enzo blinked, trying to keep his eyes open. Suddenly, he found himself facing her again. She was so close...

"Hello, love," he muttered, barely even quite awake anymore, just enough to catch the genuine smile on her face as she absently stroked his cheek now.

"What are we gonna do with you, huh?"

...


	8. Staircase

_Thanks also to Jade! I'm so happy you didn't think it was dragging - and yes, you're spot on. They saved each other :)_

* * *

…

Bonnie was still absently cupping Enzo's cheek, feeling his slow breaths as she heard the door being opened and a grim young man came in, looking around with an air of aloofness, and something told her that this had to be the entitled prick.

"Stefan," Damon chirped, confirming her suspicions, then he limped over to the man and Bonnie swallowed as she remembered having seen him before, trailing after his older brother earlier that night.

Stefan gave an exaggerated sigh as he looked at his brother. "Really?" he said, then his gaze fell on Bonnie, wandering over to Enzo, and his body tensed up. "Enzo…"

She looked from him to Enzo just in time to see the latter break out in a grin, and finally she noticed her hand still against his face and she pulled away, a little embarrassed. Hopefully he didn't think she had a thing for him now. She had just been worried, that was all. Had just wanted to make sure he stayed calm...

"Brother." Damon patted his shoulder, nudging him forward. "You're the lucky one who gets to help escort our dear Lorenzo over here to my apartment."

"_Your_ apartment?!" both Stefan and Enzo blurted at the same time, and Bonnie frowned at seeing Stefan's almost panicked looking expression.

"Lily is there…"

_Oh_, she thought. More drama to come...

Both Damon and Enzo glared at Stefan with alarm, then Enzo shook his head.

"I'm going home," he muttered and got up, despite Bonnie's feeble protests.

"Slowly," she urged, holding onto him as if she'd have any chance to catch him if he were to pass out. But he didn't need her advice because his body was quite obviously so drained and exhausted that he couldn't do anything even remotely fast at the moment. Shuffling like an old man, he made his way toward the door anyways, while the Salvatore brothers engaged in some quiet argument.

Bonnie had let go of Enzo once they had reached the wall, ordering him roughly to "Hold on to it." Then she quickly stepped back over to Damon and Stefan, catching a bit of their conversation and feeling goosebumps erupt on her skin as she did.

"The hell are we supposed to do now? I can't leave the kid alone tonight, and I sure as hell can't bring him over to my place since you idiot decided to bring _her_ over there."

Stefan glared at his brother, backing away when Damon poked his chest over and over.

"Stop it, Damon. What was I supposed to do? She's here to see you. She's our mother."

Damon scoffed. "Lily has no right to be at my place. She forfeited all rights to have anything to do with either of us when she… when she left us."

"Damon… This is silly. She has maybe a few more months to live. It could be weeks for all we know. All she wants is to see you and Enzo one last time and for us all to reconcile."

"Reconcile?!" Damon snorted, shaking his head. "You don't get it, Stefan, do you? That's not gonna happen. She can't apologize for what she did. Not to me." He scoffed, rolling his eyes in disbelief or anger. "Certainly not to him. And you shouldn't accept it either. There won't be any reconciliation until _after _she's dead."

"Um, guys. I'm sorry to interrupt," Bonnie said, feeling uncomfortable at having overheard any of that. But checking on Enzo, she saw that he was already opening the door, ready to just head out. Nodding over to him now before he vanished from view, she alerted the two Salvatores to what was going on, and Damon silently cursed as he began hobbling after his teammate and friend.

"We might have a slight problem, though, BonBon," he informed her as they all walked after Enzo, and she shot him a sideways glance, putting the pieces together.

"I saw a woman earlier," she said before he could elaborate, "Rather beautiful. Dark brown hair, long black dress… Enzo didn't seem to appreciate seeing her. That was your mother, wasn't it? The one who-"

"Yup," Damon interrupted her with a clipped tone, clearly not wanting her to elaborate, "that's her. And since thanks to this idiot here she is currently at my place, I can't have Enzo stay over. So… I don't know what to do with him, because I can't make it up those damn gazillion freaking stairs to get to _his_ awful dusty old apartment at the moment, and I sure as hell can't just drop him off at home and trust that he'll heed doctor's advice, either." He exhaled in a huff, glaring at Stefan again as they all barged through the doors, thankfully spotting Enzo not too far ahead once they were in the hallway.

"Hold up, you idiot," Damon called out before Bonnie had a chance to say anything, but of course Enzo wasn't listening and kept trudging onward.

"See?" Damon said, "That's exactly what I mean. So unless Enzo allows Stefan here to stay with him tonight - which I doubt would happen even if Stefan was the last person alive on this planet-"

"You're being overly dramatic. He's a grown-ass man. I'm sure he can take care of himself," Stefan cut him off, making Damon's glare intensify.

"Oh ya?" He snorted, pointing one crutch toward where Enzo was still walking a few feet ahead of them, his hand trailing the wall, making him look like a drunk trying to balance himself. "Does that look like he can take care of himself to you? Do you know the guy at all?"

"I should…" Bonnie bit her lip, not bothering to continue as the two brothers kept arguing loudly, stopping in their tracks. Instead she jogged after Enzo until she finally caught up with him.

"These two are a handful, huh?" she asked, pointing behind her. She was going for some light conversation to cut through the too tense atmosphere, but when she shot him a glance, she only saw his jaw muscles move as he clenched his teeth, unwilling to talk to her.

She sighed, briefly checking her phone as it vibrated in her pocket, and she rolled her eyes when she saw about ten messages from Caroline, inquiring about her, then explaining that she was out for a ride with Klaus Mikaelson but could come back as soon as Bonnie was done.

She made a face, typing a quick message back, telling Caroline to just enjoy her night, while shooting Enzo sideways glances to make sure he was still breathing okay. She had ordered him to use the inhaler every three to four hours, for the next two days at least, and after hearing Damon talk about him, she now doubted he would bother to do that. If only she could persuade him to go to the hospital.

Although… Maybe she could.

"Okay. I get it," she started, "Damon mentioned that you and his mother have a difficult relationship."

"Damon talks too much." Enzo had bitten the brief response out with a barely contained anger that made Bonnie's heart skip a beat. She really had no idea just how bad this whole thing was, had she? Deciding to brush it off, she continued.

"You can't be alone tonight, though. So you either get over your issues and go with Damon, or I'll have them drop you off at the hospital after all."

He stopped so abruptly that she startled, almost crashing into him. When she looked at him, that scary dark flicker she had seen earlier was back in his eyes and she took a few steps back, raising her hands to appease him.

"You have no idea what you're asking of me." He was fuming, his anger barely contained, and somehow the way he talked to her made her angry now too. She had had enough. Everyone was always expecting her to take care of their problems but when it came to letting her in, to listening to her, they all decided to just walk all over her.

Not this time.

"No," she admitted, her own tone heated and upset, "No I don't, so why don't you fucking explain it to me! So you had a complicated relationship with her, is that it? You were 15, Damon said, which is certainly problematic…"

Enzo glared right over her head at where Damon had appeared right behind her. "You need to keep your bloody mouth shut."

"And _you_ need to calm down, Lorenzo…"

Bonnie turned around to stare daggers at him. "Not helping," she mouthed, and he shrugged, shaking his head.

"Come on, let's just get going," he said, sounding and looking weary as he leaned on his crutches. "How about you wait outside and Stefan gets Lily and drives her to some nice little hotel. I'll pay."

"She knows where you live," Enzo said, a slight wheeze back in his voice, and Bonnie shot him a warning look, her hand patting his chest.

"Focus on your breathing," she reminded him and he glared at her with a roll of his eyes.

"Enzo…" Damon was starting to look so tired that Bonnie was beginning to grow worried about him, too. She needed to get these two off their feet, which meant she needed to resolve this ridiculous situation, stat.

"Come on, man," Damon continued, "She's not gonna just come by to stalk you."

"You sure about that? Because she seemed bloody desperate to do just that today. Bonnie saw her outside." He stressed her name, making her feel uncomfortable. There was an implied "even" in his sentence somewhere that she didn't appreciate and she couldn't even quite point her finger on as to why.

"We'll take care of her. You wanna wait here? Grab a taxi with me?"

"Do whatever you want, I'm going home."

Bonnie closed her eyes, clutching her bag as she tried to stay calm. This was like listening to a bunch of school kids. And she hadn't become a teacher for a reason.

"Enzo-"

Bonnie felt her temper explode. Throwing her hands in the air, she glared at them all, ending on Enzo, speaking right over Damon. "Okay, you know what?" she blurted, "Why doesn't Stefan just get _Damon_ home now so he can finally REST THAT DAMN LEG?! And _we_ are gonna get a taxi to your place. I'll sleep on the couch to make sure you follow my damn instructions and don't just freaking die on us during the night! Sound good? Yeah? Everybody happy? Great!"

With that she inhaled sharply and took out her phone, calling for a cab before any of the three stunned looking guys could argue with her.

* * *

…

Caroline read her friends' messages.

Elena had texted back that she was home, safe and sound. And Bonnie… Bonnie had said not to worry and to have a fun evening.

Caroline made a face, fidgeting with her phone briefly before putting it away. She felt both relieved that things seemed to be going well over there and anxious because now she didn't have an out anymore. And she felt like she might need one soon.

Klaus had been a total gentleman, just chatting with her, showing her some remote hidden corners of his town, and she had to admit that she had enjoyed herself.

New Orleans hadn't been her home for all that long, and during the time she and Bonnie and Elena had lived here, she hadn't had enough time to explore the city. Certainly not while trying to run her little store, where she sold antiques and trinkets from all over the place.

The same store that had just been the topic of their conversation and sure enough, Klaus had eventually asked her to see it.

So here they were, in the damp night air, and she felt that tingle again as she felt him close behind her on the threshold to her store, waiting until she had put the key in the whole and opened the creaky door for him.

"Ta da." She beamed, a little shy now as she opened her arms in a gesture of welcome. "This is my little haven."

She could barely see Klaus in the dim nightlight, but when she moved to switch on the light, his hand moved to cover hers and he shook his head.

He was so close now, his body… just inches away from hers. Her heart beat loudly in her ears, in her throat too. Then he placed a finger on her lips, trailing them.

"I like to experience things in the dark of night," he told her, his head cocked curiously as he did, and for one odd moment Caroline had the distinct feeling that he was half animal, half human, a werewolf perhaps, a creature of the night that could see better in the dark.

Shaking her head, she rolled her eyes at herself, then grabbed onto the lapels of his coat to steady herself.

"Would you give me a tour?" Klaus asked, and all she could do was nod.

* * *

…

Enzo sat in the back of a taxi, shooting Bonnie Bennett a sideways glance before he closed his eyes, resting his head against the back.

He was so exhausted he felt like he was gonna fall asleep any second, and he honestly didn't care anymore. At least he didn't have to see Lily again, at least he was on his way home.

Thanks to Bonnie. The girl might not understand half of what was going on but he had to give her some credit. She had been the only one level-headed enough to make a decision, and he was grateful for that too.

As soon as they got to his place, he'd thank her again, give the taxi driver some money and make sure she'd get home quickly and safely. Then he'd finally fall into bed and sleep the sleep of the exhausted.

Gosh, he was so damn ready for…

"Enzo? Enzo."

Eyelids fluttering open, he blinked, frowning when he noticed Bonnie stare at him with a half smile on her face. Sitting up a bit straighter he realized that the car had already stopped and the outside of his flat was visible through the window.

Digging his palms into his eyes, he tried to wake himself up more, feeling a bit awkward that he had indeed fallen asleep. At least she hadn't used the opportunity to cart him straight to the hospital or he'd be in serious trouble.

"I'm sorry," he breathed, pulling himself together. Then he opened his seatbelt and moved to get out, where the driver was already waiting with his bag.

"Thank you," he told the man, searching for some cash in the pockets of his jacket, and handing it to the driver, he said, "Let the lady tell you the way to her home, please. Make sure you escort her to the door and wait until she's safely inside. Can you do that for me?"

The man nodded, if looking a bit flustered perhaps, but Enzo played over it with a smile then took his bag, sighing as he stared up. Damon hadn't lied. There were too damn many stairs to his apartment. Normally he didn't mind, but today…

Behind him, he heard Bonnie clear her throat. When he turned around, she stood there, all 5 feet and a bit of her, her hands dug into her hips, a glare on her face and he had to smirk at her, tilting his head as he made a wavy gesture with his arm.

"I apologize, love. I think I owe you a thank you. So… thank you."

"Uh uh…" She shook her head, her chin raised. All that was missing was that pointed index finger she surely wanted to shake at him. Rolling his eyes, he decided to try and ignore it, and shouldering his bag, he turned around again, steeling himself for the upcoming climb. His lungs would not be happy…

"Enzo St. John!"

Oh bloody hell. She wasn't going to let it go, was she? She wasn't just going to accept it and head home. Oh no.

"I'm coming with you. No discussion. I will not let you go up there by yourself and spend the night alone."

Closing his eyes, he let his head droop, rubbing the root of his nose with his thumb and index finger. "That a promise or a threat?"

"Whatever you want it to be. But I'm coming."

"Bonnie…"

"Nope." She threw the car door shut, waving at the taxi driver. "Thanks, but I'll be staying," she explained and the man shot Enzo a look and shrugged, then sped off, not waiting another minute.

Enzo sighed. Now here they were, and he couldn't exactly leave her standing outside, could he? Making a face, he shook his head, then waved at her with a "whatever" type of expression.

"I have a spare toothbrush and some towels. That's it. And I'm not giving you my bed. I'm no gentleman, and I'm fucking tired after this bloody awful day. Which makes me an atrocious host. So don't expect your stay to be very pleasant."

It was her turn to roll her eyes, but to her credit, she didn't complain or comment too much. Fine. If she really wanted to do this, spend the night at a complete stranger's home, she could be his guest. With that he began the climb upward, trying his best to ignore her.

* * *

…

Damon had been right. That staircase was… intimidating, to say the least. Was Enzo living in a damn tower or what the hell was going on here? Bonnie was exhausted just looking up, not to mention climbing up there. But here she was, and this was exactly what she was going to do now.

Already, Enzo had made it to the first landing, and she took a deep breath before sprinting up after him. She could hear his labored breathing get worse and she gritted her teeth, trying not to worry too much.

That stupid idiot had honestly thought he could just leave her standing there, hadn't he? He had paid the damn taxi driver to take her home! That obnoxious man with his obnoxious accent. After everything she had done for him tonight.

And the way he called her "love." Maybe that was a thing wherever he came from, but here… You didn't just call someone that. Not like that, anyways. With that smirk and… and that tone…

She huffed, clutching her bag like her life depended on it as she ascended the stairs. And maybe it did. It held everything she'd have for the next few hours. No deodorant, no fresh change of clothes, and she had been sweating way too much tonight. Maybe she could ask Elena or Caroline-

Her thought remained unfinished as she caught up with him, just as he was bending over a bit, stifling a few coughs without much success, turning away even more when he saw her.

Sighing, Bonnie took a step back, trying hard not to hover as she waited silently beside him. After a while he seemed to be doing better again and slowly continued the climb, not once acknowledging what had just happened. Fine, two could play that game. Let him be stubborn and in denial, she wasn't going anywhere.

"Who on earth built a house this high without a damn elevator?" she wondered aloud, maybe just because she needed to hear a voice. But Enzo didn't reply and she soon gave up. She didn't need to feel stupid for trying to start a conversation.

Eighty-freaking-six stairs later - if she hadn't miscounted, which was always a possibility, because there were so damn many of them - they finally arrived at their destination, and she had to bite the inside of her cheek so she wouldn't make a snarky comment. He looked ready to keel over, his breathing rate worrying her again, but she figured if she so much as mentioned it, he could very possibly just leave her out here, and no way in hell was she going down those stairs again tonight.

How did he even do this at least twice a day? Well, he _was _an athlete… When he wasn't fighting with an asthma flare up, he probably considered this a nice little addition to his daily workout routine.

Opening the door, there was a brief moment in which Bonnie remembered Damon's earlier words, about the dusty old apartment, and she felt a different kind of worry weigh her down, but then Enzo walked in, and she got a first good look of the place and…

"Oh my gosh." She gasped. The apartment was freaking gorgeous. Way bigger than she would have expected from outside, and way lighter too. Spacious, bright. Almost like a loft. There was a kitchen opening into a living and dining area, a front of windows showing the lights of the city, and when he switched on a single lamp inside, she couldn't help but turn around and marvel.

There was a wall full of books, there were plants, a cozy looking rug.

"You can have the couch," Enzo muttered, tossing his keys on the kitchen counter, before he went deeper into the apartment, leaving her standing in the hallway, finally remembering to close the door behind her. "Towels in the bathroom, toothbrush too, sheets… somewhere in the hallway closet. You'll have to…"

He trailed off, and she heard him coughing again, then again, and she forced herself to stop staring at everything, tracing every surface with her finger to go looking for him.

"Enzo?"

He didn't answer, but it wasn't too difficult to find her way around, and to find him. She walked past a large bathroom, peeking in briefly, then, when it was empty, she went further, until she stood in the doorway of his bedroom, holding onto the frame with both hands as she leaned forward a bit, poking her head in, and she smiled involuntarily.

There he was, lying sideways on top of the comforter, still wearing his shoes, his jacket, his bag lying abandoned by the foot of the bed, and his eyes were already closed. She sighed, watching him for a moment as she tried to decide what to do with him.

"Enzo." She called out to him, listening to his breathing, still slightly wheezy, but not too bad, not like earlier… Then she decided to step inside the room, slowly walking closer to him. "Hey," she made, gently tapping his arm, his shoulder, and he looked up briefly then, only for his eyelids to flutter shut again a second later.

Poor guy _was _exhausted. She was sure the stairs had given him the rest, not that it had needed much more after the day he'd had. _They _had had.

With a sigh, she flopped down on the edge of his bed, contemplating what to do.

* * *

…

Damon banged his own door open with verve, hoping he'd give his mother a good fright. When he spotted her sitting at his kitchen table, nursing a cup of tea, and staring straight at him, that hope quickly vanished, and he limped toward her, fighting the urge to just ignore her and go to bed.

Because as much as he'd like that, he wasn't going to go that route. Clearly, Lily Salvatore couldn't read cues like that or she wouldn't be sitting here. In his friggin' home!

"Mother," he said, choosing a loveless denomination, making her smile at him anyways, and he watched as Stefan walked past him toward her, giving her a brief hug and a kiss on the cheek. The corner of Damon's mouth twitched.

What a joke. He loved his brother to bits, but why the idiot had accepted Lily back in his life, he simply couldn't understand.

"You can stay the night. I'm sure Stef already showed you the guest room… But I want you gone out of my house in the morning. Before breakfast. And now excuse me, I really need to put this damn leg up."

He didn't want to give her time to reply, but he simply wasn't fast enough at the moment, and by the time he was half out the door, she had already grabbed his arm, making him grit his teeth.

"Uh uh uh," he made, "No touching, Lily. Have you forgotten?"

"Damon… Has Stefan told you that I'm… that I have cancer?"

"Yup. Of the lungs, too. As my friend Lorenzo said - I'm sure you remember him, handsome tall guy, dark hair, hazel eyes? - Anyways. He called it poetic justice. I tend to agree."

Lily's hands were clenched into fists as she fought a sudden bout of anger, but to his surprise she had herself under control again quickly. Taking a closer look at her where she stood before him, he could indeed see traces her disease must have left, her skin more papery now, pale, her lips tinged slightly purple, painfully reminding him of Enzo's earlier struggles.

Clicking his tongue, he tried to leave again, and again, she gripped his arm, this time with more force, and he stared at her hand on his arm, then at her, gritting his teeth, grinning.

"Lily…" His eyes flickered but she didn't let go.

"Stefan, since you and our dear mother have made up, would you mind telling her-" He abruptly changed his tone, yelling right into her face, "to take her fucking fingers off me before I break them!"

She let go almost instantly, turning away. When she looked at him again, her eyes were shimmering with tears.

"I never meant to hurt you boys, you must know that. I… you know how your father was. I tried to protect you from him as best as I could-"

"Until you didn't." Damon knew he sounded bitter, and he was.

"I… wasn't strong enough, and I apologize for that."

"You always had a temper yourself. You're manipulative. And I am to believe that you weren't strong enough to withstand Giuseppe?"

"Damon." She sighed, smiling at Stefan as his brother came over to pat her arm. Too damn sweet, Damon thought, looking at his mother with disgust.

"I have nothing to say to you."

"What did I ever do to you, Damon? Enzo, I get. Stefan, too. Once I was gone, Giuseppe treated them both harshly, making them practice for hours and hours. But you? You were leaving for the NBA just shortly after. You left them too, didn't you. Yet they both still love you."

It was like he had an epiphany. He had never even realized it until now, that Lily was jealous of him.

He scoffed, leaning forward on his crutches, grimacing against the pain in his leg that was beginning to creep to the forefront more and more.

"You're jealous," he muttered, grinning at her, and she shook her head but didn't deny it. "You're really jealous."

"Damon, can we maybe all sit down, talk tomorrow?"

He curled his lips, shaking his head. "There's nothing for us to talk about anymore."

"They love you, _he_ loves you, yet he didn't even want to be touched by me today." She sounded so upset that he rolled his eyes in disbelief.

"What did you expect? He fucking hates you! You used him, mother. A kid! You fucked him and manipulated him, you hurt him, physically and mentally. You're no better than Giuseppe, you are _worse_!" He grinned, but it was an upset expression. "He was just a kid, Lily. You shouldn't have done what you did."

"He was 15!" she tried to defend herself. "A teenager! Hardly a child anymore. He certainly didn't look like one!"

Disgusted, he backed away even more, shaking his head. "That makes it better? He was younger than your oldest son! Than me! And you knew he was in a bad place. His parents were dead, he was in a different country, of course he was susceptible to your seduction."

"I didn't seduce him!" She looked appalled. He didn't care. "If anything, he seduced me! He came to _me!_"

"Keep telling yourself that, mother. That doesn't change anything about the fact that he was an impressionable troubled minor and you should have known better. Can you imagine the outrage if the tables had been turned? If he had been the 38 year old man and you the 15 year old girl? 15, Lily. _15…_ And then, when he wanted to stop, you didn't let him, did you? You didn't fucking let him until he showed up at my door, begging me for help. I'm such an idiot that I didn't see it earlier."

"Wait, what?"

He had almost forgotten that Stefan was there too, until his little brother piped up again now, a look of incomprehension and shock on his face.

Damon pressed his lips together, feeling awful. There was another large piece of the truth, one he had tried to protect his brother from for way too long, and now he couldn't do that anymore.

"I'm sorry, Stef. I failed you, but I failed him more," he admitted, focusing back on his mother. He'd have to deal with Stefan later. After…

"Just do us all a favor, Lily, and leave. The kid deserves his peace. You took too much from him already and I'm not sure he can handle any more of you and your bullshit. If you need this to be able to fucking die already, fine: I'll forgive you for leaving us. Hell, you kinda did us all a favor, didn't you? But for the other stuff? No one can forgive you for that. No one."

He waved her off, then turned around, blocking out the words coming from her as he walked away.

_Just walk away_, he told himself, _walk away._ This woman had no place in his life anymore, and he'd be damned if he'd let her take up space in his mind for much longer.

Her death couldn't come fast enough if it was up to him, and he was past feeling bad about that, too. If it made him a bad person, fine, he could be that. Maybe he had always been.

He was the Vampire after all…


	9. A night together

_Thanks guys. This chapter is for DancesWithButterflies, deenew - who's joined us and has been leaving kind feedback for most of my TVD stories in the past - and Jade!_

_Jade: I agree. Admittedly I've wanted this to happen since the beginning of the story: Bonnie going home with Enzo. That it's for these kinds of reasons is of course not the greatest, but we can work with that. lol. And I also agree about Lily. In this story she doesn't deserve to be forgiven._

_Shall we continue?_

* * *

…

Bonnie sighed, watching Enzo as he slept. He shouldn't be laying flat like that. But he was too heavy and too out for her to move him. But she had taken off his shoes and found a light blanket to put over him and now sleep was tugging at her own conscience, reminding her that she, too, had had an exhausting day.

Too afraid to sleep through the alarm she had set for herself so she could wake him for his inhaler treatment, she decided to cuddle up on the far side of the bed, acutely aware of his presence, acutely aware also of his words from earlier.

_I'm not giving you my bed._

She huffed softly, smiling to herself. If only he knew…

She woke up with a start what felt like seconds later, but had to be hours, the alarm on her phone blaring loudly, and she patted the comforter beside her to locate it and quickly turn it off. Rubbing her eyes and stretching, she forced her body to wake up some more, then she crawled over to where Enzo was still lying, if not as peacefully as she had hoped.

His body seemed way too tense for someone sleeping, but at least his breathing wasn't too bad. It wasn't great either, however, and frowning, she softly tapped his arm.

"Enzo? - Enzo…"

She put a hand against his neck, pure doctor's instinct, and suddenly he shot up, rolled around until he was on top of her and she found herself trapped underneath him, his too large hand too close to her throat. Staring up in sudden panic, she slapped his arm, hard, trying to wiggle out from under him until she saw recognition whoosh into his eyes and he pulled away quickly, letting her go. Bonnie scrambled away on her hands and knees, until she could hop off the bed and stare at him, her eyes still wide with fear, her body full of adrenaline.

She couldn't really blame him, though, even if she wanted to. She'd have done the same if someone had woken her up in the middle of the night. Wouldn't she?

"I'm sorry," he choked out, looking rather anguished as he ran his hands over his face, getting up himself to step further away from her. "I didn't meant to…"

"It's okay," she said with a shaky voice, trying to smile. "I just… had to wake you. It's time for the inhaler?"

He nodded, not looking at her, then coughed, holding his side as he did. It made her itch to move over to him and check those ribs again, but they both needed a moment, she knew that too.

"Where _is _your inhaler?" she asked now, and he finally looked up again, still so tired.

Her gaze fell on some bracelets on his arm, a lot of leather, a bit of silver, and she realized that she hadn't ever seen him wear jewelry or even non-workout clothes before, and when she took his appearance in, dark pants, dark shirt, she found that he actually cleaned up rather well, even for someone looking as sick as he currently did. While she was probably looking pretty disheveled and… smelly. She pressed her lips together, feeling her cheeks flush with embarrassment.

When she forced herself to focus on her work again, she noticed how his chest was moving a bit too fast for her liking, but before she had to ask about the inhaler a second time, he thankfully finally took it out of his pocket, staring hard at her as he used it.

"Happy now?" he pressed out, then abruptly turned and walked out of the room, leaving her standing there, flustered. "You can have the bed," he called back, and she heard him cough again as he retreated.

"I kinda…" She trailed off, unsure of how best to bring it up without it being too awkward. But this felt like the best moment, so she just got it over with. "I kinda need a shower," she called after him, "You mind if I…"

She listened into the silence of the hallway, hearing him stop. "I'll get you something to wear," he eventually told her, "Can't promise it'll fit very well. But there's a washer in the room adjacent to the master bathroom…"

Bonnie had to smile. Maybe he wasn't so bad after all. They would probably not become friends anytime soon, but… at least he was being almost civil.

* * *

…

He could hear her turn on the water just a few minutes later, and he found himself sitting on the couch and listening to the sound for a while. He wasn't used to someone spending the night, not here, not at this place, and hearing the noises of another person was strangely… soothing.

Eventually, he got up, every movement painful after he had gotten battered earlier tonight, but he trudged over to the bedroom anyways, grabbing a few things for her to wear, a shirt that would be way too big on her small frame, some shorts, some socks…

His gaze fell on the heap of her clothes lying by the door, and without thinking he picked it up, bringing it over to the laundry room, getting everything ready to wash them for her. When he put the items in, briefly checking whether they could be washed at all, his gaze involuntarily fell on her panties and bra too, and suddenly he realized that maybe he shouldn't have just picked her things up like that. But…

Too late now.

The underwear was damn cute, too… He closed his eyes, swallowing, forcing himself not to think of her that way. A bloody doctor, little med girl… Just, no. Quickly he shoved everything in the washer, closed it, getting it out of his sight and hopefully mind, then he turned the machine on just as another cough announced itself with a tickle in his throat. Steeling himself, he pushed his arms against the washer, tensing before he tried to stifle the cough with small success. He grimaced, waiting a few seconds for the pain to subside, then he slowly made his way over to his couch, ready to sleep some more, hoping the doc wouldn't wake him up again.

As he laid down, trying to get comfortable, he suddenly remembered how she had woken him up earlier and he clenched his jaw at the memory. It wasn't a good one… Placing an arm over his face, he tried to forget that look on her face. He had scared her, and that… was simply not who he had ever wanted to be...

* * *

…

Caroline felt herself being pushed against the wall of her store, Klaus's lips suddenly right on hers, and she couldn't help but gasp before she quickly gave in, straddling him as he lifted her up, carrying her over to the cash counter.

Helping him by simply shoving down some receipts and gift cards and a few small trinkets she sold for a dollar each, she had made room in time for him to lay her down and already his hands were trailing a way up and under her clothes, and all she could think was that this was better than any of the stupid fantasies she had come up with in her head. Better, too, than anything she had ever done with Tyler, her ex.

This was… exciting.

Her blouse came undone almost as if of its one accord, and Klaus lowered his head, licking his way up from her navel to her breasts, looking up briefly, grinning at her cockily before he began nibbling along her collarbone, going up up, until she could feel his lips against her neck, right where it made her body break out in goosebumps all over, and then… he touched her elsewhere, tenderly at first, too tenderly, and she bucked under that touch, staring up at the ceiling as she tried to guide him deeper into her.

Oh gosh, she needed this. She needed him…

.

After, when they both laid spent, she had to giggle a bit, thinking about Elena and Bonnie, wondering what her friends were doing at this very moment. Probably sound asleep wherever they were.

"What's so funny?" Klaus asked, as he slowly got up to put on his pants and shirt, and he was already buttoning up when she was barely slipping into her underwear again, grinning at him.

"Nothing. Us? That my friends are probably already sleeping while I…"

"Made out with a stranger at your workplace?"

"Something like that, yeah." She smiled, allowing him to zip up her skirt while she slipped her arms into her blouse. "These buttons are ruined," she noted, holding the wide open flap with both hands, chuckling. "Oh gosh, we sure got carried away, didn't we?" she asked, nodding at where his own shirt was missing a few buttons, too, making him smirk at her.

"I'll buy you a new one. Until then… I'll give you my coat."

She was ready to say no. But then she thought about it. Accepting his coat would mean she'd have to see him again, right? Or rather, he'd have to see her again. And she kinda really liked that idea.

"Okay," she therefore said, and as he helped her put it on, his breath grazing her neck from behind as he did, she felt a ripple of goosebumps, then she turned around, hugging herself. "Thank you."

He just stared at her for a while, until she began to feel awkward, then he cocked his head, smirking. "My pleasure… I'll give you a ride home now, Caroline. If you'll allow me."

How could she not?

She had already broken so many rules of safe dating that it didn't really matter anymore whether he knew where she lived. Did it?

Oh, what would Bonnie say… Caroline chuckled at the thought. Her friend was always so adamant about staying safe. She was dead certain that Bonnie had never just gone home with a stranger…

* * *

…

Lily felt lost, so lost. She was dying, and still they wouldn't allow her to atone for past mistakes. Instead, Damon was accusing her of rather atrocious things. But that wasn't her, it wasn't the truth. She had never… forced herself on anyone, certainly not a child. Surely Enzo didn't see it like that, did he?

She heard Damon in her head again, telling her to get lost. To leave. But she couldn't. Damon had taken this decision away from her by taking Stefan away from her first. And himself.

But Enzo… she still had a chance to see him again, to talk. She needed to know what he was thinking about all this, needed to _know_ that he understood she wasn't a bad person. That she had indeed loved him.

Did love him.

He had to understand that.

She had only left because… It wasn't important now. She had left and had found it impossible to come back. Not with Giuseppe there, not with Damon becoming such a public figure. Her own life would have been on a platter, for everyone to see. To dissect. To judge what they couldn't understand. No, she hadn't been able to come home to that.

Enzo _had _to understand.

And tomorrow, tomorrow she would get her chance to make sure he did.

* * *

…

The house was so dark. Too many long brown corridors and hallways leading to too many rooms. But the real darkness stemmed from something else.

Enzo found himself facing her, her beautiful smile… Her hands were on him, one clutching his throat a little too hard, the other pressed against his chest, and he felt like he couldn't breathe.

Averting his gaze, he tried to push her away, and she stumbled backwards, falling, starting to sob now.

"Please," she said, "I need you. Please… let me…" Her hands came up again, moving up his leg and he had to fight the urge to just kick her, because if he did that he knew he would never stop.

"I don't want this anymore," he said, words he had said too many times, and always, always, he had eaten them later, because she had made him.

She was going to tell Giuseppe, who would kill him.

Or she was going to tell Damon and Stefan. He'd not only lose his only friends in this bloody country, he would also lose the one place he had left to call home. There was nothing to go back to now. Not England, and sure as hell not boarding school. That had been another nightmare he had gone through. Before this one.

How many more until he would finally wake up?

.

_"Enzo."_

_._

She got back on her feet, looking at him with a pleading look, taking his hand to move it under her clothes, but this time, he suddenly couldn't go through with it, couldn't do what she wanted of him.

"Leave me alone," he said, backing away until he felt the wall behind him yet again.

"Please, I need you, I need you so much. We're good for each other. You know that. If you don't…"

"No," he abruptly said, not caring anymore, just ready for it all to stop. And if that meant Giuseppe was going to tear his head off, somehow suddenly that sounded better than this…

"I'm done. Go do what you have to, but leave me the hell alone-"

Abruptly she slapped him in the face, so hard his lip split. The pain was almost welcome in some screwed up sense. But when she moved to strike again, he still ducked away, shielding his face as best as he could. Then she began hitting and kicking for real, something in her having zapped, he couldn't explain it any other way, and she began yelling and screaming and whining until he was sure she was having some kind of breakdown and all he wanted to do was just run.

So run he did. Panicked, done, bleeding, he ran down the too dark hallways, until his lungs began to burn, and she was still yelling somewhere behind him. Then he realized he didn't even know where to run to, what to do, didn't know anything anymore, so all he could still think of doing was bang on Damon's door. Damon, who was going to leave soon anyways…

He banged against his door again and again until his fists began hurting, knuckles bleeding, but he couldn't stop, he couldn't think. He couldn't do this anymore, couldn't deal with her alone, so he kept hitting against the hard wood until finally, the door opened and-

Bonnie Bennett stared at him with concern, and… compassion, and he took a few heaving breaths, just staring up at her.

* * *

…

"Enzo!"

When he opened his eyes, Bonnie saw her same panic reflected in there for a moment, before he seemed to notice where he was and who she was and that it had only been a dream. A bad dream…

She had left the bathroom, finding a neat little pile of clothes, a shirt, some shorts, and she had put them on with a wry expression, checking her reflection in the mirror briefly. She looked ridiculous, but at least she was feeling a lot better, fresher, smelling better too. She smelled like him…

Then she had realized that he had already washed her clothes for her and after she had felt almost violated for one moment, she had rolled her eyes, berating herself for being overly dramatic. He had probably just been trying to be nice… She should give him the benefit of the doubt. She had taken the items out of there eventually, putting them all in the drier so they'd be ready to use again come morning. Then she had wanted to catch some sleep before she'd have to wake up for the next inhaler treatment reminder.

But when it had finally been time and she had tiptoed over into the living room to see him sleeping on the couch, she had soon noticed that something wasn't right.

She had found him breathing erratically, thrashing, sweating, and when she had called his name, he hadn't reacted at all.

Until now.

She had been more careful this time, not coming too close until he was truly awake, his gaze on her the whole time. But now he was finally with her again and slowly beginning to sit up, letting his head rest against the back cushions, running both hands over his face, over his hair, not looking at her until at least a full two minutes had passed.

"Are you alright?" she asked, although it was quite clear to her that he wasn't. When he made a face rather than pretend that he was fine, she was surprised, her worry rising.

"What can I do?" she asked, and he tried to smile at her, scoffing softly.

"Nothing."

She nodded, playing absently with her fingers. She should probably not push it, but…

"Um," she made, deciding to allow him a moment before pressing the matter. "It's time for the inhaler. And probably some breakfast. Unless you'd like to sleep some more, which might be a good idea..."

"Nah," he muttered, rummaging for his inhaler. When he lifted it, his hand was shaking a bit, and Bonnie frowned.

"Enzo. You're worrying me." She leaned forward, feeling his forehead, and he backed away, looking at her suspiciously. "You have a fever," she informed him, shaking her head. This was not good, especially for someone like him who had just had a major asthma attack, had a cough, bruised ribs, and hated hospitals with a passion. "Might be the flu catching up with you," she noted drily, taking her hand away.

"Bloody marvelous," he cursed quietly, rolling his eyes, digging the palm of his hand against the root of his nose before he let himself sink sideways on the couch again, pulling his legs up. He had already closed his eyes again when he muttered, "There's some waffles in the freezer. According to Damon - and I'll admit that might not be an adequate source of information on these matters - you Americans like to eat those for breakfast…"

Bonnie didn't know what to do, or say. For now she'd just leave him be, hoping he'd get the rest he needed. But what then? He needed monitoring. If not the hospital, family or friends would have been ideal. But did he even have friends, other than Damon, who wasn't currently available since he was struggling with health issues himself. Maybe there was a girlfriend in the picture? She could probably ask Damon, or Caroline.

Or google it… Shooting him a sheepish look, making sure he still had his eyes closed, he pulled out her phone and did just that. It made her legs tingle weirdly when she did, as if she was doing something forbidden.

And there he was… Lorenzo St. John. Born to an Italian mother and British father in a small Italian village, he had moved to England when he was just four years old.

She bit her lip, forcing herself to keep scrolling. She wasn't doing this to read his whole life story, was she? She was doing this to… There. A picture of him with a girl, arm in arm, another one where he could be seen kissing someone. Just… none of these women had a name, none of them ever really reappeared.

A magazine seemed to have picked up on it too, because she found an entire article dedicated to his lovelife, or lack thereof.

**The **_**Hybrids'**_ **Britalian Euro hunk still single? **It said and she had to roll her eyes. This was promising to be a quality read, wasn't it? Yet she still couldn't stop herself from continuing on...

_"The newest addition to NBA's still new team the New Orleans Hybrids comes with lots of talent and more secrets._

_6'10 of pure handsomeness, Lorenzo St. John can play some serious ball, although we haven't gotten a chance to see him play that often yet. With the Vampire Damon Salvatore at the helm, the Hybrids have built a great team within the last few months, and even a talent like St. John, who began his early career at the notorious Augustine Society boarding school, will have to work hard to earn his spot._

_But while his teammates can be seen sporting gorgeous women by their sides when it's not game time, the Brit is usually by himself._

_A long-standing rumor has it that St. John once had an affair with none other than Damon Salvatore's mother Lily (pictured on the left), when Mrs. Salvatore was still married, a scandal that once it hit the public might have turned him into the secretive man he now is._

_But we are certain a man of his caliber won't be staying alone for that much longer…"_

Bonnie shook her head, tempted to keep reading but forcing herself to put her phone away. She had already learned that the internet really couldn't be trusted, after all, so she was probably better off just asking Enzo straight away.

Yeah, right. She scoffed to herself at the stupid idea. How was it going to look if she asked, "Hey, you got a girlfriend?" He'd probably get it in his head that she was interested in him, not looking for someone else to take over these annoying nursing duties from her. No, she couldn't ask him. She'd ask Damon. She'd have to call him anyways.

Caroline, too. Maybe she could get her friend to bring her a change of clothes on her way to work. She'd also have to get in touch with the coach, to let him know Enzo wouldn't be coming to practice at least for a few more days. And Luke, or better yet, the head of the Hybrids' medical staff directly. Maybe he could tell her what best to do about Enzo.

Ugh. She didn't even know where to start. Sighing, she eventually got up, checking on the sleeping Enzo one more time. Gently, she put a light blanket over him, her hands hovering for just a moment, then she made her way into the kitchen, looking for those stupid waffles.

* * *

…

Caroline sat at the kitchen table, munching some cereal, when her phone rang, and she half hoped it was Klaus Mikaelson calling about his coat.

Caller ID showed Bonnie's picture, though, and Care frowned, then quickly answered.

"Girl, are you already back at work? It's…" She checked the time, "6:30! Didn't you have a long night? I sure did…" She giggled, ready for Bonnie's questions.

"Actually, I'm still… um… I'm still out. We had a bit of a situation yesterday and I went home with Enzo to make sure he's alright."

Caroline spilled a spoonful of her cereal, coughing around a mouthful of it. "You what?! Bonnie Bennett went home with an almost complete stranger? With a _baller_? The same Bonnie Bennett who said she won't ever have a thing with one? Now that is a-"

"It wasn't like that." She could hear Bonnie say, sounding annoyed and she had to grin.

"You sure? I mean, he _is _hot. No Damon, perhaps, but I'm not sure that's such a bad thi-"

"Caroline. Don't. Please… He had a bad health scare and didn't want to go to the hospital, so I did my job and made sure he was okay."

"Didn't realize your job included overnight stays…" Caroline chuckled but stopped herself when she noticed that Bonnie really wasn't in the mood. "He's okay, though, now? Right?"

"Yuh. Yuh, he is… well, he probably has the flu now, which probably means _I_'ll get it next." Bonnie paused to sigh, and Caroline was ready to make a snarky remark, but before she had a chance, her friend already went on. "Ugh, I'm sorry. It's been a long night and… I was wondering whether you could bring me a few things? Some clothes…"

"To his house?"

"It's an apartment, actually. Way too many stairs to climb…"

Caroline beamed, ignoring Bonnie's weird complaint. Excited, she shoved her bowl away. "I'm basically already on my way. Just give me the address, I'll bring you whatever you need."

"Thanks Care. I owe you one."

"Just happy to help." She grinned, ending the call once Bonnie had told her what she needed.

This was some interesting development for sure.

* * *

…

Stefan sat on the kitchen island, watching as his brother prepared his famed pancakes, shaking his head.

"I can do that, you know. After yesterday I really think you should just rest."

Damon looked up at him briefly, and Stefan shrugged, drinking another sip of his coffee. "Just saying."

He pressed his mouth into a line, taking his brother in with a frown. What he had said yesterday, it had changed Stefan's entire outlook on everything. Had changed his opinion of their mother, too. Now, he knew there would never be a chance for reconciliation, and he wasn't going to push anyone into trying anymore, either.

Damon had been right. Their mother didn't deserve second chances, not even when she was this close to dying. And yet it hurt. It hurt and he wanted so desperately to be able to forgive her and love her, but now that had been robbed from him too. And it had been her own fault.

A whirring noise jolted him out of his thoughts and checking Damon's phone, he saw that he had a BonBon call him. Hopping off the island, he brought it over to his brother, nodding at him.

"Got a call from Bon-" He couldn't even finish his sentence before Damon had snatched the phone out of his hands, answering the call quickly.

"BonBon! Please tell me you and our wheezing boy have both survived the night!"

Stefan felt a pang at the unusual concern in Damon's voice. One thing he had never learned was to accept the strange relationship these two had. Although after the revelation from last night he began to see things more clearly.

"Nah, it's fine. You stay with Enzo, make sure he doesn't do anything stupid. Like, get out of bed… and I'll take care of coach and the rest." Damon started chuckling and Stefan wished he could listen in on the other half of the conversation, too.

"Well, he's not wrong, though, is he? - Really? You checked? How the hell does he not have anything else in his fridge? I knew he was a bit crazy, but this… is appalling. Tell you what. I'll send over a grocery serv- no, let me deal with him. Trust me, I got this. Grocery delivery in an hour, tops."

How casual Damon sounded, so unaffected from last night's encounter with Lily… Stefan had to marvel at how he did it.

"Not that I know, no. But hey, you could ask the last chick- I'm kidding, Bon. I'm kidding, okay? Yeah, you do that and I'll see what the team says. Later, my favorite doc."

As soon as he ended the call, Damon's grin was wiped off his face. He was plating the pancakes rather unceremoniously, shooting Stefan a glance.

"What? - Ready for some breakfast?"

"Is he alright? Enzo…"

"Of course he isn't, but you already knew that. What is it that you actually want to know?"

Stefan huffed, grinning at his brother as they both sat down. Damon was rubbing his leg right above the cast, then heavily lifted it onto a chair. His brother wasn't good at this, being injured, needing help. No, Damon needed to be the one in control, the one in charge. It had always been like that.

When they were younger, Damon had practiced hard, nights, days, every free hour he had, to become as good at basketball as he now was. Their father had wanted them both to succeed, but eventually Stefan had given up.

Damon, though, Damon never just gave up.

"Why did you give up back then?"

A frown marred his brother's face, and he put his fork away after just a few bites of the pancakes. "You're speaking in riddles, Stefan, what are you talking about. 'Give up'1 how?"

"You left. I didn't know why back then, and later I thought it was because you were angry at Enzo for destroying our family. But, after what you said yesterday…"

"I got drafted to the NBA, you idiot. That's why I left."

"No." Stefan shook his head. "That was part of it, sure, but it wasn't all. I don't… I don't get it. First you came to his rescue, only to leave him here with Giuseppe? Leave _me_ here? You could have gotten us out, we could have lived with you, it was only a couple more years before college for Enzo anyways, and I… But you left us. After mom left, so did you. You gave up."

Damon wiped his forehead, shaking his head. When he looked at Stefan, his eyes held a pain that had nothing to do with his leg. "Let it go, okay?"

"I can't fucking let it go. I want to understand this. I want to understand what the hell happened and why you and Enzo are still so damn close that he does almost everything for you, including making sure he doesn't steal your shine, when… when it was always clear he'd be better than you eventually."

Damon's mouth gaped open a bit before he scoffed loudly, shaking his head. "So it was always clear? Who said that, huh? Giuseppe? Some random high school coaches?"

Stefan rolled his eyes, not in the mood to comment. If that was really what his brother wanted to focus on… But it wasn't what Stefan wanted to talk about.

"Damon. That's not the point."

"Enlighten me then. What is the point?"

"That apparently our mother is a goddamn rapist and Enzo seems to think he owes you something when all you did was leave us to fend for ourselves."

"I didn't leave you to fend for yourselves! I didn't fucking _know _it had gotten that bad with Giuseppe until they called me! I was just busy figuring my life out, and maybe that was selfish, but I didn't fucking know he had gone that crazy!"

Stefan grimaced, unable to look at his brother. Ruffling his hair, he stood up. He simply couldn't just sit there anymore. "And then? When they called you?"

Damon sighed wearily. His voice was quiet when he replied. "You know what happened. I got CPS involved, you moved in with uncle Zack."

"And Enzo?" Stefan shot him a pointed stare, and Damon stared right back, his gaze hard and not wavering. For a moment they both were completely silent. Then Damon looked away and muttered, "Moved in with me…"

Stefan felt triumphant even though it was a rather hurtful triumph. His family was so screwed up.

At least now they were finally talking.

...


	10. Confrontation

_..._

_M. Blanche: your words made my day! Thank you so much for the encouragement. I'm a bit humbled, because frankly I'm struggling quite a bit with writing - and my writing in this story - so your kind feedback really means a lot._

_I'm so happy to hear this inspires you to get back into writing! You go! And all the best of luck for finals week!_

_I gotta admit I haven't read any other basketballer and nurse / doctor fics, but I'd love to check them out! (Honestly, I'm taking a lot of liberties and don't really know what I'm talking about for most of the time, but as is wont to happen, this story wouldn't get out of my head any other way so I set out to write it and I am hoping to give it at least an okay ending. We shall see._

_Super happy that you tried out a Bonenzo fic, too! I adore this couple, and there's beautiful stories for them out there, just sadly not as many as I would like. So I've been writing some for them, too… :)_

_Jade: haha, yeah. Bonnie wearing his clothes… a cliche perhaps, but I love it. :) And the backstory might be a bit convoluted, but I'm glad it works to keep you interested so far._

_Phew. Sorry for the wall of text, everyone. Let's proceed._

* * *

…

"You're a lifesaver!" Bonnie hugged Caroline, accepting the bag full of clothes and toiletries. She grinned when she noticed her friend trying to peek past her into the apartment.

"Looks cozy from over here…"

"I'd let you in, but it's not my place - literally not my place. Besides, Enzo's asleep."

Caroline grinned. "Oooh, the caring doctor looking out for her patient?"

Rolling her eyes, Bonnie nudged her with her hand. "Yes, actually."

"So, how is this gonna work? You just gonna stay here until he's better? What's going on with him anyways? Yesterday I thought he was fine. He was even playing until the very end, right? So... If it's that bad shouldn't he be at the hospital?"

Bonnie tilted her head, crossing her arms as she leaned against the doorframe. "You know I can't talk about that," she evaded, raising her eyebrows apologetically. "Besides, I wanna know about _your _night. I'm sure you have way more to tell than me anyways. Did you and Klaus…" She trailed off as the blonde began to flush, a big grin pulling her lips up into the happiest smile. "No way!" Bonnie clicked her tongue in appreciation. She was just about to grill her friend for all the details when Caroline's phone went off.

"Please tell me that's him. He better be a gentleman and not start ghosting you after that."

Caroline made a face, then swallowed visibly, her cheeks growing even redder as she checked the caller ID. She mouthed an excited "It's him," then held the phone to her ear. "Klaus, hi," she said, shooting Bonnie a look as she stifled an excited "eeekh!"

Quite abruptly, Care's expression changed, though, and so did Bonnie's. Hopefully it wasn't bad news. The man better be decent enough not to tell her over the phone that she had been nothing but a one-night-stand. Bonnie would personally make him pay if that was the case.

"He'd like to talk to you real quick."

Bonnie's brain stuttered. "To _me_?!"

Flustered, she held out her hand, accepting the phone despite her confusion. She muttered a cautious "hello", then waited for him to speak.

"Ms. Bennett, I hear you are currently at Mr. St. John's abode."

Abode. She made a face. Did he always talk like that? Out loud she said, "Yes. I assume you've heard about last night?"

"Indeed I have, and I'd like to thank you for your quick intervention that prevented the worst."

"Of course. It's my job. I'd still recommend he go to a hospital, at least for a day or two, but he's rather… vehemently refusing." Bonnie turned away from Caroline a bit, excusing herself as she did. She didn't want to just blurt out Enzo's health condition, even to her best friend.

"That won't be happening, Ms. Bennett."

"Mr. Mikaelson, Klaus. He really-"

The man didn't let her finish at all, and her old annoyance with him was back as he spoke over her.

"If I make the necessary arrangements, including a noticeable bonus with your next paycheck, will you please take care of this and keep monitoring him at home?"

"This is not…" She shook her head, not believing what he was asking of her. She wasn't a damn live-in nurse!

"If you're not willing to do it, I'll have to send someone else instead. The medical department can make the arrangements. But he might be more comfortable with _you…_"

"Why is it that no one here seems to understand how serious this is? Is no one willing to just get him to a damn hospital?!" she shot back, beginning to grow really upset. "He should probably get oxygen treatments, get his lungs checked. And his asthma regimen needs to get reevaluated! We can't just do that from his goshdarn apartment! Plus he seems to have caught the flu that so many of the other team members are already fighting with. And I don't need to tell you that this is _not good for his damn lungs_!" She almost yelled those last words, fed up with it all, with Enzo's stubbornness as much as with everyone else's. What the hell was going on here? Why did everyone enable this dangerous behavior?

"I take it you're not yet familiar with Lorenzo's files, are you?"

Taken aback, she started. "I was about to request-"

"I'll have someone bring them over to you so you can familiarize yourself with them. For now, suffice it to say that he's had some unfortunate experiences that led to him developing some… issues with institutionalized medicine."

_You don't say, _she thought but kept it to herself, waiting for what else Klaus was going to say.

"I'd prefer for him to be back on the team asap, and I'd prefer _you_ to be in charge of that, Bonnie. We need him. Desperately. With Damon out… I don't have to tell you how dire our situation is. Therefore I'll need an answer now. Will you handle this for us, or not?"

What kind of question was that? Her heart was beating too fast because she was so agitated. Leaning forward a bit, she tried to catch a glimpse of Enzo, who was still lying on the couch, obliviously asleep. When she saw his strangely troubled face, she felt a pang. What the hell had this guy been through? First Lily Salvatore and now some "unfortunate experiences" with hospitals?

"Ms. Bennett?"

She sighed, palming her forehead as she knew what she was going to say, even though it went against her professional opinion. "Fine," she told him, "I'll stay with him until he's better."

"Thank you. I truly appreciate it. Now could you please put Caroline back on."

It hadn't been a request so much as a demand, and Bonnie mouthed a silent "fuck you" at the phone before returning it to Care, making her friend apologize. When the blonde took the phone she held up a finger and asked Bonnie quietly to please wait.

Which of course she did. Because clearly that's what she did these days. Cater to other people's needs. To everyone's but her own. And babysit giant basketball players.

* * *

…

Caroline was still pacing the hallway before Enzo's apartment, Bonnie gnawing on her fingers as she watched her friend, when Enzo's voice behind her made her whirl around.

"You should take her out for a tea or something… Here…"

He handed her a wad of cash and she glared at him, feeling insulted.

"What is that?" she asked gruffly, jerking her chin in the direction of his outstretched hand as she crossed her arms in a defensive stance.

"We call it money. Cash. Bills. Dollars…"

"I mean why the hell are you giving me that? Am I your nanny now? Is this my daily allowance or something? Do I get an hour off before I have to resume work? That it? Because I am _not _a freaking babysitter. I'm a _doctor_, for fuck's sake, and I can pay for my own damn coffee - because _that's_ my drink of choice at this early hour, not a lame-ass tea!"

His flustered look, the half smirk bowing his lips slightly upward almost made him look cute, and Bonnie cursed herself inwardly for even thinking that way. The man was damn ignorant and his gesture, while she didn't doubt it had been meant well, felt like an affront.

"I'm sorry," he muttered, a frown creasing his brow, and as she deflated at the genuine tone of regret in his voice, she finally noticed how pale he was. Touching his forehead, she made a face. He was burning up.

"You should probably lie back down."

"And you should go home, Bonnie." He shook his head, giving her a weary look. "You should go home, or back to work. You've been here too long already."

She scoffed. "I tend to agree. But unfortunately my opinion doesn't seem to count much around here. Even the mighty team owner himself made it pretty clear that he wants me to stay here until you're better."

He turned his gaze toward the ceiling briefly, clenching his teeth in a clear show of annoyance that Bonnie could only share.

"I'll talk to him," he gritted out when his focus returned to her, his eyes boring into her in a way that made her feel a tingle. An uncomfortable tingle. Like she didn't know what to expect of him. Yeah, that was it...

Sighing, she shook her head. She was still so tired, too tired for needless fights. "You know what?" she told him. "It's fine. I'll…"

"I'm not a child. I can take care of myself. And you're right. You have a job-" An awful cough cut him short, and he clutched the doorframe to steady himself as he clearly fought with some serious pain. Bonnie's face scrunched up in involuntary sympathy, and she moved over to him, barely catching herself before she would have touched him.

Instead, she waited patiently until his attack was over and he stood up straighter again, making a face.

"You have a job that you need to get back to," he continued as if nothing had happened.

"Yeah, and that job is currently you," it escaped her and she grimaced when he scoffed at her with that half-smirk playing across his features again.

"I'm… not your job. And if I have to remind Nik of that, I will. Don't worry, he won't give you trouble, I can be very persuasive-"

"I don't doubt that."

"I beg your pardon?"

Gulping, she grinned at him sheepishly, trying to figure out whether he asked because he hadn't heard her, or because he had.

"Nothing. Nothing, it's… " She exhaled, her grin transforming into a smile when he looked at her a little lost, then winced as he made a wrong move.

Instantly, she took another step toward him, stretching out her hand. "Can I…," she asked, indicating his shirt and he looked down on her from his ridiculous height with a wary expression but then nodded, lifting his shirt for her.

"Ouch," she made, grimacing on his behalf as she saw the dark meandering band of bruising on his side, trying to ignore his damn abs as she softly traced the bruises with her fingers, careful not to aggravate the injury. "We should ice this. Can't believe you didn't break your ribs. This looks painful…"

"It is," he allowed, then hissed as they both startled at hearing Caroline clear her throat by the entrance. Quickly, Bonnie pulled her hand away, half stumbling against him as she tried to turn toward the door. Clenching his teeth to stifle a wince, he closed his eyes briefly, Bonnie looking up at him with worry.

"Oh gosh, I'm so sorry."

"Don't worry, love. I've had worse." He smirked at her, but she felt awful anyways and suddenly ready to flop down somewhere and cry. She was truly starting to think she had been cursed, people around her seemed to get hurt a lot lately, and nothing went as it should. She couldn't even manage to move anymore without hurting people.

"I'm sorry," Caroline said, jolting Bonnie out of her thoughts. Her friend was grinning in a way that made Bonnie glare at her as she quickly fussed over Enzo's shirt, until he firmly but gently grabbed her hand and made her stop, shooting her a pointed stare.

"Sorry," she mumbled, embarrassed, feeling that tingle again. Then she turned to face Caroline.

"This a bad time?"

"What!? No! We're… we… I just told Enzo, I'd…" His hand with the money came up beside her as if he had read her mind, and she continued, "... take you out for a quick coffee as a thank you for this." She pointed at the bag with her things that was still sitting beside the door, and Caroline grinned at her knowingly.

"Uh huh," she made, biting her lip and Bonnie shot her a pleading look that made Caroline's grin widen even more.

"So, let's go; pleeease?"

She shot Enzo a look, trying to grin and his answering smile unsettled her strangely.

"We'll talk about this after I get back," she informed him with a stern voice, pulling herself together, already knowing she'd accept the out he had given her. It wasn't good for either of them if she stayed much longer. And maybe if she didn't, if he hated her replacement enough, he'd finally agree to go to the hospital...

* * *

…

It wasn't too difficult to find Enzo's apartment. Lily had spent enough hours alone at Damon's place to have ample time to snoop, and she had quickly found some correspondence leading her in the right direction. A phone call later, and here she was, waiting in the black Uber, her phone pressed to her chin absently as she looked up at the tall apartment building. It looked rather nondescript, which seemed to fit his style. He liked to blend in and not stick out too much.

At least that's who he had turned into.

She took a deep breath, coughing hard on the exhale, an attack coming that made her wish she had oxygen on her.

"You okay, Ma'am?"

"Yes. Thank you. I believe this is my destination. Thank you for the ride."

With that, she got out, closing the door softly behind her. As the car drove off, she steeled herself, a shiver of anticipation running down her spine. Finally she'd be able to talk to him. He wouldn't just run away this time. She had probably just gotten him on the wrong foot. He didn't like his life to be on display - just like her - so that's probably why he had pushed her away…

Coughing a few more times into a tissue, she grimaced at the droplets of blood staining the white fabric, discreetly putting it away before taking the first step toward the looming building.

Just then she saw two people coming out of there, complete opposites, and she loved the peacefulness about these two, how they giggled, walking arm in arm… Until her mood darkened as recognition set in. Hadn't she seen one of these two with Enzo after the game?

What was she doing here?

Swallowing, Lily forced herself to stay calm, remind herself to be kind. If Lorenzo had a girlfriend these days, she'd have to accept that. Because she was going to be gone in just a few months and maybe she should be happy he wasn't going to be alone after her death. Right?

But it wasn't easy. He was still hers, would always be hers…

Maybe he could come with her, could be with her until the end, and beyond. They did have a bond, after all, a strong one, and nothing and no one could come between that.

* * *

…

He felt like rubbish. Utter rubbish. As if yesterday hadn't been bad enough already, he was now also coming down with that damn flu, and messaging his teammate Lincoln real quick to thank him for that, he then decided it was best he used the hour or so before Bonnie got back to maybe try and get a short workout in, then shower and…

Trudging toward his gym room, he scoffed to himself as he realized that that wasn't happening. The shower, sure, but a workout? Yeah, no… Who was he kidding.

His phone beeped, and expecting it to be Linc, he checked the message real quick.

~ _You stole my BonBon away. You better treat her well. And I want her back ASAP, so you better work on that nonexistent health of yours. ~_

Damon. Of course. Enzo shook his head, not bothering with a reply. He had barely made it to the bathroom, when his phone beeped again, and again. Rolling his eyes, he shot a glance at the damn thing.

_~ You're okay, right? ~_

_~ Talked to the leader of the pack himself. He wanted to know why you're not at my place. Gave him the short version ~_

_~ She's gone, btw. Threw her out ~_

_~ If we're lucky Klaus is finally gonna send some of his wolves out to take care of her ~_

_~ Be nice to Bon! I really need her back. Luke is... not a good replacement ~_

_~ Come on, Enzo. Sign of life needed ~_

With a weary sigh, he typed a quick message in, hoping Damon would be satisfied.

~ _You'll get her back today, don't worry. I don't need her_

Enzo ran a hand over his face, grimacing as even just lifting his damn arm made pain shoot into his side. Screw all that. Screw her, screw Nik, screw his bloody body for making this even harder than it needed to be.

And screw the damn doctor that was beginning to mess with his head. Tossing his phone on the bed, he began taking off his clothes, then went into the bathroom to take that shower.

He allowed himself to spend a decent amount of time just letting the warm water run over him, soothing the pains and aches and helping him breathe a little easier. Then he reluctantly turned it off and stepped out to towel himself dry and put some clean clothes on. Just some sweatpants and a t-shirt this time, something a little more comfortable and a lot less stylish. No one would be seeing him today anyways.

Well. Except for Bonnie Bennett of course.

But she didn't count. Besides, she had already seen him much worse.

She seemed to be popping up in his head an awful lot lately. Since he had had to save her… and she him. He closed his eyes, letting that thought sink in for a moment. If she hadn't been there last night… He wasn't sure he'd be here now.

The loud click of his front door startled him, and he sighed, rubbing his temples to try and alleviate the awful headache that had been building there for a while.

She was already back then. Time to say his goodbyes and go to bed. All he wanted was to just lie down and sleep this shit off anyways.

"Lorenzo?"

He froze, swallowing around an instant lump in his throat. No, he thought, clenching his fists subconsciously. It couldn't be. She couldn't be here. Not at this place. Not in his own bloody apartment.

Fighting the urge to just hide out behind the locked door of his bedroom, he took as deep of a breath as he could, then stepped out into the hallway, head raised defiantly, rising anger coursing through his body like electricity.

"I'm sorry for barging in like this. The door was open?"

"It wasn't," he noted, his tone cold as he saw her coming into view. Her face, still beautiful, broke into a smile, and he closed his eyes, trying to focus on his breathing as he realized he was beginning to take in air in too short bursts again.

Fuck that bloody woman for messing with him, still. Fuck his body for allowing it. Bloody hell!

He looked up, staring at her darkly, grabbing her wrist hard as she had the audacity to touch him again.

"Get out of my house."

"Please. Lorenzo, can we talk about this like civilized people?"

He scoffed, averting his gaze as she kept looking at him with that helpless pleading expression. Her arm was still in his grip, and he let go, shoving her away as he did. She stumbled a bit, looking at him as if he had stung her.

"He's gotten to you, hasn't he? Damon? With his lies and distorted version of what our relationship was like?"

"Get out, Lily. Before I fucking kill you."

Her act fell away as she stood up straighter, still rubbing her wrist. A weird grin appeared on her face, making his skin crawl.

"You know I could have destroyed you, don't you? I still can…"

His eyes flickered, but his brain was sluggish, paralyzed, and he couldn't come up with anything to say. All he did was grin at her with disbelief.

"Please, Lorenzo. I love you, I always have. I never forgot the time we had together."

Neither had he. Clenching his jaw until it hurt, he kept staring at her, unable to move, unable to do anything. As if she had compelled him somehow, had turned him into a shadow of himself. He was that 15 year old boy again, not the 6'10 man he now was. And why couldn't he snap out of it?

His lungs weren't filling with enough oxygen… His fingers twitched as he thought to take out his inhaler, remembering that it was still with his old clothes on the bedroom floor. Great.

Her hands came up to fist his shirt as she looked up at him, that fragile pleading look back on her face.

"You know what we had was special, don't you? Pure… You needed comfort, I needed comfort. We were good for each other. We still are."

No. Snapping out of it finally, he backed away hard, shoving her off of him, bringing distance between her and him.

"You," he hissed, "were never good. For anyone. You bloody used me when I would have needed a mother. Someone to be there for me. Not someone to fuck me."

"You wanted it, too!" she yelled now and he felt so… uncertain about everything, so confused. Just like he had back then. She wasn't completely wrong. Maybe it _had_ been his fault. But.

"Maybe at first," he muttered, his face betraying him as he fought to stay afloat. He shook his head, the pain too real yet again. "But then…"

"Oh, please." She stared hard at him. "That's Damon talking, isn't it? Tell me you didn't buy that 'rape' story of his. It was sex between two consenting…" She trailed off as the front door abruptly flew open, and a shocked looking Bonnie stepped inside, her gaze flickering from Enzo to Lily. He opened his mouth slightly, trying to say something, anything, but he couldn't. So he kept staring at her like an idiot, like a complete idiot as she walked toward him and Lily.

"Adults?" Bonnie suggested, picking Lily's sentence up where she had left it, her gaze locked on Lily's now. While Enzo just stood frozen to the spot, she swiftly slipped in between the space between him and Lily, her back pressing against his chest as she faced the older woman.

"Yeah," Bonnie said, "Didn't think so. You were the only adult."

Lily remained quiet. She didn't continue to defend her behavior, just kept staring at Bonnie, then Enzo behind her for a long strange moment, until he finally found his voice again and said, "I need you to go now."

* * *

...

The soft chuckle Lily gave was rather out of place, Bonnie found, but she was glad that at least Enzo had unfrozen and was back getting back to his old self. As far as she could tell...

"What is this?" Lily asked, waving her hands to indicate Bonnie, and maybe Enzo behind her. "Is this the kind of girl you're going for these days? What does she have to offer you? Is it the-"

Bonnie barely had time to yell out a "Hey" while she tried to find better words, when Enzo suddenly blurred past her at almost inhuman speed, a movement she had seen only on the basketball court before, and he put Lily's head in a lock with both of his hands.

'I said. Go," he hissed out, his tone positively frightening now, and it seemed to affect Lily, too. Damon's mother clutched his wrists, her expression pained as she spoke.

"Lorenzo, you're hurting me."

Bonnie had cautiously stepped beside him, looking at him imploringly, her heart beating so hard she could feel it in her throat.

"Enzo," she whispered, trying to calculate how safe it would be for her to tug at his arm as she saw the way he curled his lips into a snarl, putting more pressure on the woman before him.

"Go! Don't come back."

"I love you!" Lily whined, "I'm not-"

"GO!"

Lily was gasping, starting to cough, her lips staining red, and finally Enzo let go of her, shoving her away and to the ground as he did before he stormed off.

Bonnie took a shuddering breath, looking after him for a moment. Then she turned toward Damon's mother, shaking her head at the older woman.

"I'm a doctor," she made herself say, "let me take a look." She kneeled down, but when she moved to help her, Lily slapped her hands away, glaring at her angrily.

"I'm dying. You can't help me anymore."

Raising an eyebrow, Bonnie stood up again. "Fine. That's probably for the best anyways." She folded her arms, staring down at Lily. "You gonna get up anytime soon? Because I'm pretty sure Enzo doesn't want you here."

"Stay out of it."

"Yeah, no. I can't, actually. You see, Enzo is my… my _friend_, and I'd like to honor his wishes. So, I'll make sure you leave his apartment. Oh and… I'm immune to your charms. If you don't leave within the next minute, I'll call the police." Bonnie lifted her phone, ready to dial, and she could see it work behind Lily's now stony facade before the woman finally got to her feet again, smoothing her clothes.

"This is not over. Enzo doesn't care about little girls like you-"

"You don't know what he cares about," Bonnie said through clenched teeth, her hands curling into fists. "He cares about you being _gone._ So get the hell out of here!"

Briefly Bonnie was envisioning her opponent to come racing toward her, ready to fight, but then Lily nodded her head, scoffing, and turned on her heels, walking out.

Bonnie didn't trust the peace, but when Lily had finally walked out, and she could shut the door with a bang, she allowed herself to fall against it and take a deep breath.

That woman was something else. Bonnie was reeling from what she had overheard after getting back from her little date with Care. She had been able to hear them talk well before she had gotten to the door, and what he had heard, had made her stomach turn. Rape… Lily and Enzo, the whole thing was bad. Very bad.

Gasping at the thought of him, she pushed herself off, then jogged toward where he had stormed off to. His bedroom.

She found him sitting on the edge of his bed, elbows on his knees, leaning forward. He was breathing too fast, looking up at her with a grumpy expression that was sort of endearing.

"Killed the witch?" he asked, and she shrugged, smiling at him as she walked closer until she had reached him.

"Eh. She doesn't need us to help with that. At least she left."

Pressing his lips together, he nodded, and looking at him, Bonnie noticed he was clutching the inhaler in one hand, his other still a fist. She couldn't quite explain why, but following a sudden instinct, she sat down beside him, their legs almost touching, and she laid her hand over his.

"She left," she repeated, "she's gone. You may need a better lock though…"

He chuckled, smiling at her sideways, and she couldn't help but smile back. She wasn't sure what this was, but somehow, within the last 24 hours, this annoying man had managed to make her… care.

Swallowing, she stared at her own hand in his, watching half mesmerized as he opened his fist, their hands intertwining. When she looked at him next, his gaze was on her, so much pain in his eyes, but also something else.

"Are you okay?" she asked, her throat too dry, and he made a face, shaking his head, mouthing a "No" and her heart broke for him as his face scrunched up and he fought tears.

"Enzo…" He tried pulling away, and maybe she should have let him, especially after what she had learned about Lily just minutes before, but then she moved without thinking, and put a hand on the side of his neck. Squeezing his hand that she was still holding, she made him look at her. "You know none of that was your fault, right?"

He threw his head back, grinning a sad grin. "You don't know that, Bonnie Bennett. You weren't there…"

"I am here now."

A soft scoff escaped him as he shook his head, her hand feeling the beat of his pulse. Too fast. Like her own…

There was something between them, she couldn't quite put her finger on what it was, then he abruptly leaned forward to kiss her and… she reciprocated. Her lips feeling his, her tongue…

No. Gently but firmly, she pushed him away, shaking her head, but smiling. It had felt way too good and way too right for some reason, but she knew that now was not the time. Not for this. Not when he was still so hurt, and confused. The look he gave her now, so lost before he averted his gaze, made her feel a pang of regret, but she made him look at her, cupping his cheek lightly.

"Enzo," she muttered, "listen to me. I'm here for you, okay? If you want me to, if you'll let me, I am here. But not like that." She smiled at him, watched him swallow. "Okay?"

He nodded, looking down, and she realized he was still holding one of her hands, holding it in a too tight grip, but she wasn't going to complain. Then she added, and she didn't even quite know where it was coming from, "Not yet."

.

They sat like that for a while, and although maybe Bonnie should have started to feel uncomfortable eventually, maybe when the silence kept stretching on and he was still clutching her hand, she never did. It simply felt… right.

She listened to his labored breaths, then, at some point, he shuddered, his face scrunching up a bit as he seemed to be fighting to stay in control. And when she saw him struggle, saw him failing, heard a soft wheeze return, she threw caution to the wind and just pulled him toward her, something that should maybe not have been as easy as it was, but there was no fight left in him, not for this. He just sank against her, his free hand fisting her shirt as she held him, calmly, quietly breathing with him, reminding him how it was done.

"In through the nose, out through the mouth," she said, breathing with him just like before. "She's gone, Enzo. She's gone. You're okay. I'm here…"

And she wasn't going anywhere. That option to leave he had given her? It was off the table, at least as far as she was concerned.


	11. Police

_Happy reading, guys!_

_Jade: thanks so much! I'm trying to keep the updates coming quickly, depending on how much time for writing I can make. And yes! Finally they kissed! _

* * *

…

When they eventually parted, Enzo didn't know what to say, or how to feel. He had probably made a complete fool of himself. He had done what he always did when he didn't know how to cope and had gotten too close. He had kissed her, Bonnie Bennett. The doctor. He wanted to facepalm at his stupidity. It was surprising that she hadn't run out yelling and screaming.

"You know we'll have to call the police, right?" she now said, giving Enzo a look that he couldn't quite read, and he grimaced at her.

"I'd rather not."

"She broke into your home, Enzo. She's clearly mentally unstable. I'm honestly worried about you with her still out there…"

She was probably right, but… Letting his head drop, he massaged his temples before looking to her briefly. His gaze fell on the phone she was holding, which she had just used to call a locksmith, because he had been too shaken up to make that decision, too. He was a joke...

"Enzo."

"I…" Rolling his neck, he stopped himself. "I can't do that," he then bit out, agitation making him restless. So he got up. The motion was too fast, making him stifle a gasp as his bloody ribs protested, but he didn't care anymore. He didn't care about anything. "I'm fine."

The nerve of that damn woman. To come to his apartment like that. Abruptly, he banged both fists against the wall hard, regretting it instantly when his hands began to hurt, his knuckles bleeding. He better not have broken anything, or he'd be in a whole different kind of trouble. Coach and Nik both would probably kill him…

"Let me see."

He turned around to shoot Bonnie a sheepish look before he reluctantly held out his bruised hands. "I'm sorry," he muttered, surprised that there was so much kindness in her features left, a soft half-smile bowing her lips up. She had nice lips. They had felt nice too…

Closing his eyes, he clenched his teeth, welcoming the pain that took his mind off of everything. Of her, too.

"You're not making a very convincing case for your statement that you're fine," she whispered as she put some ointment on and some strips on the left hand that was a bit worse looking than the right. "At least you didn't break anything."

He raised his eyebrows, grinning involuntarily. "Doesn't everyone bang against walls?"

"Not when we're fine, no…" She trailed off, smiling for just a moment before shooting him an earnest look. "I know you're upset. It's more than understandable. What I don't get is why you don't want to call the police. Even if you don't want to bring up your past with her, she still broke into your apartment. Let them take care of her."

"Bonnie…"

She wouldn't understand. She couldn't. How could anyone? How was he going to explain that if he reported Lily, people would start digging? And then they'd find out the rest. They'd drag the whole Salvatore family through the dirt. Damon… He couldn't do that to his friend. The guy who he owed so much to. Damon had gotten him out of that hell, had given him a place to stay when he hadn't had anywhere to go. Damon didn't do well with things that distracted him from playing ball. If people would start hounding him for stories about his awful mother, Enzo could already foresee the downward spiral.

There had been one before after all; when he had left for Europe, and Damon…

"I'll have to report this, Enzo," Bonnie said, making him return his focus to the here and now. "I was there, too. You can't take this lightly."

"I'm not taking it lightly," he gritted out, feeling new anger rush into him, and he had to take a step back because he didn't want her to see him like that. He didn't want to… lose her.

* * *

…

Bonnie eyed him warily, this too tall man that was falling apart in front of her again. She had no idea why he was so reluctant to call the police. It surely wasn't because he cared about Lily. He hated her with such passion that it was downright scary - if perfectly understandable. What that woman had done... How someone like that could be related to Damon was a surprise.

And then it dawned on her.

"You're protecting Damon, aren't you? You're always protecting him." She shook her head, taking a few steps toward him until she could put a hand against his chest. Suddenly it all made sense and the fact that he just stood there, not denying it, just staring down at her hand, confirmed it all. "It's why you didn't play the way you can until he was out, so you wouldn't steal his limelight... You're worried it could come back to him somehow, aren't you? Lily…"

The look he gave her was confirmation enough, but to her surprise, he eventually spoke. "You don't know him the way I do. He seems indestructible, Mr. Vampire, larger-than-life." He chuckled sadly. "But those Salvatores are a messed up bunch, and he is no exception. He can't deal with this."

Bonnie had to scoff. While his love for his friend was endearing, it was also rather self-forgetting to a dangerous degree.

"Enzo… you need to look out for yourself, too," she therefore told him firmly, "And if you can't do it, I'll do it for you."

"Bonnie…" She knew he was torn between arguing and accepting and when she stepped even closer, barely able to look at his face anymore, she briefly wrapped her arms around him before pulling back.

"I'll call them. We'll figure the rest out later."

His small nod, the slump of his shoulders would probably be as best as it was going to get, but she was relieved he didn't fight her on this. Besides, she was sure that Damon would want his friend to be safe more than he wanted to keep his mother's behavior quiet.

Right?

* * *

…

"So, you wanna explain to me why he got to stay with you while your own flesh and blood didn't?"

Listening to his brother, Damon rubbed his face, feeling too tired for this. Talking to Stefan had always been draining, but lately… He scoffed. Admittedly he couldn't really blame him. From his point of view it all seemed rather unfair.

Looking at the younger one now, he cocked his head, shrugging. "He didn't stay all that long. Went to Europe to play ball over there, as I'm sure you also remember. So…"

"That doesn't change the fact that you let him stay with you."

"He was screwed up, Stefan! More so than you. You still had a chance at a decent and normal life. Uncle Zack gave you that. Are you seriously telling me that you would have preferred to stay with me and Enzo when we were barely ever there? I was at practice all the time, and Enzo… at the friggin' hospital more days than not. You think you missed out on a ton of fun and parties and brotherly bonding? Well, reality check: it didn't happen. Let me assure you. You happy now?"

Abruptly he got up, glaring at his brother, waiting for a retort when his phone jolted them both out of their little fight. He was ready to ignore it when he saw Enzo's name flicker up on the display.

Staring at Stefan, he picked up the phone.

"Speak of the devil… I was beginning to think you were dead."

"You can toss that key I gave you. Had to change my locks," Enzo said in a strange sounding tone that raised Damon's hackles right away. He didn't need more explanation.

"Lily? How did she know where you live?"

"I don't know, Damon. _You_ tell me."

Snorting, he slumped back down in his chair, rubbing his hurting leg. He knew Enzo liked to lash out and spew accusations as a coping mechanism, and he was so used to it that he didn't feel offended. "Trust me, my friend," he therefore assured him, "I didn't give it to her and I never would. You okay, though?"

"Peachy."

Damon pressed his lips together, breathing out through his nose as he was contemplating his next words, his next move.

"Want me to come over? For you I'd even climb that ridiculous mountain of stairs-"

"It's alright," Enzo spoke over him but what Damon was really focused on was Stefan's face, something going on behind his brother's facade that made him roll his eyes. Kid was jealous of Enzo…

"You sure? I could come over in maybe half an hour. Can't have you be alone right now."

"I'm not."

_Oh. Oooh._ Damon clicked his tongue. "Bon is still there then? I thought you were gonna send her home."

"She's rather adamantly insisting that I am not the one to make that decision. I haven't had the heart to tell her otherwise…"

That did sound like Bonnie Bennett. He hadn't known her for all that long, but one thing he had definitely learned was that she was bossy, stubborn, way more fierce than she looked, and she had a heart of gold. Her presence would be good for Enzo. _She_ would be good for him…

"Well, in that case, I'll happily stay off my goddamn leg. Do tell her that her replacement - this Luke guy - is nowhere near as cute as her. And he's also quite… gruff. I still want her back."

"We shall see whether she'll have you. After dealing with me, she'll be spoiled…"

Damon chuckled. They continued with their banter for a little while longer, then Damon eventually hung up, sighing.

"Where were we? Right, we talked about your jealousy issues which I tried to alleviate," he said to Stefan, but his brother stared at him strangely, then looked down.

"We have such a screwed up family, don't we?"

"No arguing there…" Damon frowned at Stefan's changed tone, his slumped shoulders.

"I didn't know," the younger one muttered, hiding his hands in his face. "I can't believe I never saw this. It happened right in front of us and I didn't see it."

"You were a kid. I, on the other hand, have no excuse."

"So you tried making amends." Stefan shook his head, looking up. "Tried to make better what she had ruined, didn't you?"

He swallowed, staring at Stefan, unsure of what to say. Is that what he had done? "She's our mother, Stef. And what she did was… was awful. But she is our mother, our flesh and blood, our responsibility. Someone had to pay for what she did, had to try and make it right. But no one was going to if not me. I… I couldn't just abandon him. He was just a kid too. A broken kid."

"Just like us… So that's why you took him in."

Damon shook his head. "I took him in because if I hadn't, no one would have. And then someone would have eventually found him, would have found out what Lily did… I was at the start of my career. I couldn't just… I couldn't let him accidentally ruin that for me, even if he had every right to."

There. It was out, the truth he had never even admitted to himself before. Stefan's expression said everything. It was not what he had expected to hear.

"You did it for your career."

Damon shrugged. "At first, yeah. Kid had already grown on me, though. And continued to. He has this way of weaseling into your heart, you know? I guess you're immune."

"Damon…"

He waved his brother off, really done with this conversation now. "Luke will be here soon, I really think I should get ready…"

"Does Enzo know? Because I feel like he's been repaying you for your 'kindness' for these last years, making sure you get to shine, when all it was was selfishness."

"I did it for our family, Stefan!" Damon yelled in a sudden burst of anger. "If Lily hadn't… if we didn't have a rapist for a mother, and an abusive asshole for a father, then maybe things could have worked out much differently. But what was I supposed to do? Let you grow up with that stigma? Fight that stigma myself instead of making a career in the NBA? _You _more than anyone should accept that. You sure as hell accepted the money I worked so hard for."

Stefan opened his mouth again, but Damon shook his head. "I'm done here," he said before his brother had a chance for more accusations, then he got up and limped out the door, the click-clack of his crutches unnerving him as much as Stefan's next words that he tried hard to ignore.

"You gonna tell him about that anytime soon? Because I don't know, but I feel like the truth might come out now that there was a witness to Lily's craziness…"

* * *

…

Caroline put her phone away, puffing away a strand of her hair that had made its way over her eyes. Closing them, she tried to tell herself to stay calm, putting a smile on when the soft ding of the bell above her store door alerted her to a customer.

When she looked up, she deflated instantly. The irrational hope that it would be Klaus quashed by the appearance of a sweet older lady, who shot her a brief smile before walking through the store in search of something.

Caroline sighed, fighting with herself for a moment before she pulled the phone back out to stare at it. Still nothing.

Gnawing on the inside of her lip, she huffed, then picked the stupid thing up to-

No! She was not going to do that. It would have to be him. She had been such an idiot! Giving in to his wooing of her way too quickly. What if it had been nothing but a one time thing for him? Like she was nothing but another girl he had slept with? Oh gosh… Slumping in on herself, she put her elbows on the cash counter, burying her face. Caroline Forbes was _easy_.

If her friends got wind of this… if Tyler got wind of it, she'd never live that down.

"Are you alright, sweetheart?"

She looked up to see the woman shoot her a concerned look, and she forced herself to stand up straight and put that smile back on her face.

"Of course. I'm so sorry. Can I assist you with anything today?"

"It's about a boy, isn't it?" The woman smiled knowingly and Caroline felt herself blushing a bit, then exhaled sharply.

"That obvious, huh?"

"Oh, dear. Don't worry about it. - They always come around. And if they don't, they're not right for you anyways."

Her smile widened as she put a little vase on the counter to pay for it. When Caroline made the transaction, she said, "Thank you," meaning both the kind words and the purchase. But she couldn't help but wonder. What was it that she and Klaus had shared? Was there a chance for it to be more?

She was beginning to feel like there was a better chance for Bonnie and her baller to become a couple, and she had to chuckle at the thought. Her friend had no idea how deep she was in already, but Caroline had seen it clear as day earlier. How Bonnie's face had blushed when Caroline had seen her touch Enzo. She couldn't blame her, of course, that man did have a really blush-worthy physique. Good for Bonnie…

A vibrating noise jolted her out of her musings and she waved her customer quickly before looking at her phone, hoping it was Klaus. Finally.

But nope. Not him. Just the alert she had set up informing her of all types of news concerning the Hybrids. Making a face, she was about to put the offending piece of technology away when her gaze fell on the still lit up headline that had popped up.

**Police called to New Orleans Hybrids' player St. John's apartment.**

Caroline swallowed drily, quickly opening the link to read. She'd have to check on Bonnie. If that bastard had done anything-

Her gaze fell on a grainy series of pictures. One showing a police car in front of the tall building Enzo lived in, the next clearly showing Bonnie - if blurry - standing at the door of Enzo's apartment, letting the cops inside.

The article was short, just a few lines full of speculations, and Caroline swiped it away to call her friend instead. The true source was always better than the media anyways.

Her friend picked up after more than a minute, making Caroline's nervousness skyrocket.

"Tell me you're okay," she said urgently, clutching the counter with a deathgrip.

"Now is not a good time, Care."

"Bonnie! You better not hang up on me before you've told me what the hell is going on. Online they have a picture of you letting the cops in! Did he do something? Enzo?"

"What?! No! Caroline. This…" She heard Bonnie sigh, then whisper as if she didn't want to be overheard, "Remember that story about Damon's mother?"

"Uh huh?"

"She showed up here. Craaaazy bitch."

Caroline gasped, her hand flying up to cover her mouth as her imagination ran wild. "Did she attack you? Does she think you're his new girlfriend, or something?"

"Nothing like that. Care. I gotta go. I promised Enzo I'd handle this with him…"

"Okay," Caroline got out before Bonnie ended the call abruptly, leaving her to feel both relieved and a bit shocked at the same time. What the hell had they all gotten themselves into?

* * *

…

"So you know the woman," the police officer was just asking Enzo when Bonnie came back into the kitchen, where they all had sat down, while a locksmith was busy loudly installing a new lock outside. She caught the annoyed glare Enzo shot the man sitting opposite from him before he gritted out a, "I already told your sidekick that."

"Sir," the cop said with a warning in his voice, clearly not appreciating Enzo's tone, and Bonnie rushed over, plastering a ridiculous smile on her face as she sat back down next to Enzo, speaking before the man had a chance to continue.

"Her name is Lily Salvatore. She and Enzo have known each other for years, and she is not welcome in his life anymore. Listen, I didn't just call because of her breaking and entering. She was also stalking him at yesterday's game." She shot the officer a look, thinking she should probably explain that, but when she did, the man began to smile. "He plays basketball in the NBA…" She trailed off, feeling a bit stupid when the man replied, "I know, Ma'am. You can't live in NoLa and not know the names of the players of our new team."

"I'm sorry…"

"You were saying she was there last night? Mr. St. John, is that correct?"

He gave a nod, nothing more, averting his gaze as he slumped back in his chair, stretching his legs out wide.

"I can't make any promises, seeing as events like that are by nature public, but we'll keep it in mind."

"She waited for him down by the hallway to the lockers. The public is not supposed to be down there," Bonnie interjected, sitting up straighter in a motion almost completely opposite to Enzo's.

"Ma'am, like I said…"

"You can't promise anything. Right. Will you at least be looking for her?"

"Of course. But… If I understood it correctly the woman suffers from terminal cancer-"

"That is no excuse for what she did!" Bonnie said heatedly, and the cop frowned at her, his interest piqued again, and she bit her lip. She had promised Enzo not to bring up what Lily had done in the past, but it was getting harder and harder to explain why on earth the woman would stalk Enzo and break into his apartment without at least mentioning a bit of their backstory. Looking at him now, she saw how pale he was, how exhausted he looked, how… done. His skin looked positively clammy and she was starting to get worried about him again. He needed rest. Stat. And why the hell did she have to start caring so much?

Sighing, she returned her focus to the cop.

"What did she do, then? Is there anything else we should know about Lily, Lorenzo?"

Enzo shook his head, his arms crossed in a way that made him look like a slouching teenager, but before Bonnie could nudge him and beg him to put all the cards on the table, someone else did.

"She's my mother," Damon piped up, and Bonnie had no idea where he had come from and what he was doing here or who had even let him in. But before she of Enzo could ask about it, he continued with a burning stare at the cop, "and she had a sexual affair with my friend Lorenzo here when he was _15._"

"Shut your bloody mouth, Damon!"

Enzo had gotten up so abruptly that Bonnie shrank away, watching in horror as the cop stood up quickly too, clearly ready to intervene, clearly also picking up on the surge of anger in the room.

"Enzo." Damon shook his head as his friend came stalking toward him, the cop raising his arms to try and keep them away from each other, speaking into his radio as he did. "It's time she pays for what she did, okay?" Damon said, "Stop pretending it'll go away. It won't. You tried it your way, now let's try it mine."

Enzo had tilted his head, disbelief in his glare, but before he could do anything, or the cop could touch him, Bonnie quickly stepped in front of him, staring at him pleadingly.

"Don't," she said, holding his arms, feeling that raw tension in his muscles, feeling also how hot his skin was. Still burning up…

"You had no right." Enzo gritted his teeth, looking over her at Damon, who raised both arms to the sides appeasingly when Bonnie shot him a glance. While she was kind of glad the truth was out, she didn't appreciate Damon's way at all. It had been a breach of trust at the worst possible time.

"Lorenzo, come on," he was saying now, but Enzo abruptly pulled away from Bonnie, tearing his arms loose, then walked off so angrily that Bonnie knew better than to go after him. Damon shot her a glance, sighing.

"He can be a bit dramatic," he apologized, addressing the officer, but it was Bonnie who punched his chest with her fist.

"What did you expect?" she hissed, then took a deep breath to calm herself. This hadn't gone well at all...

* * *

…

"Statutory rape for sure, how severe a case depends a lot on how willing Mr. St. John would be to talk about it, and if it goes to court, well… on the judge. As sad as it is, but these cases - where the minor is male - tend to often be overlooked and not treated as seriously."

"That's awful! Are we living in the damn 1900s?! Ugh! This is… atrocious. Poor Enzo. I don't blame him at all for not wanting to talk about it."

"BonBon, you're not helping…"

"Yes I am. _I_'m here to help him, Damon. I'm on _his_ side. What about _you_?"

"So am I. I just…"

Enzo pulled back from where he had stood listening from the hallway and leaned against the wall, a half smile on his face despite the awful situation. After he had calmed down a bit, he had decided to go check whether anyone was still there, and now that he could hear them talk, could hear Bonnie's words, he realized both that it felt oddly nice to have her stand up for him, and that he wasn't ready yet to head back in there and talk about it. Because, no matter what they were saying, he was not going to press charges or try to get Lily before a court, or any of those things. He couldn't. It would destroy everything, him included.

Closing his eyes, he took a few breaths, focusing on doing it right, when he felt her presence. Sure enough, opening his eyes, he saw her standing before him with a concerned expression on her too pretty face.

"How are you?" she asked, and he couldn't help but notice that she hadn't worded it "are you alright" this time because she obviously knew that he wasn't.

Grimacing, he shrugged, running his hands over his face in a tired gesture.

"I'm not gonna talk to them again," he then said as if she had asked him to, and her small "Okay" made him feel the tiniest bit better. "And Damon can go fuck himself."

She smiled. "I may have already told him that."

"Yuh?"

"Uh huh."

Nodding, he smiled at her. "Good."

Her hand came up to feel his forehead and this time he didn't back away, welcoming the cool touch of her hand. She felt too good…

"You really need to lie down, Enzo."

"I'm-"

"You are _not _fine so you better don't tell me that again. Now come on, let's get you to bed."

"You coming?" He winked at her playfully and she chuckled, rolling her eyes.

"Let's go."

* * *

...

Bonnie had grabbed his arm with both hands, a small gesture she hadn't even much thought about, but now, as they were walking toward the bedroom together, it gave her a weird feeling. Strangely cozy, comfortable, almost second nature, as if they were doing this all the time. A cute domestic couple…

She shook her head, smiling to herself. She hadn't even been like this with her ex. And Jeremy had been the type to want to just settle down and be boring together. Until he had cheated on her of course…

Trying not to think about the idiot, she focused on the man right beside her, and guiding him over the last steps until they had reached their destination, she smiled at him, nodding her head toward the bed.

"Climb in, Mr. Enzo St. John."

He didn't even try to complain, just fell into bed, his eyes closing as soon as his head hit the pillow. Then, as if he remembered what had happened earlier, he opened his eyes to look at her and said, "I know this is not your job… Could you do me a favor, though? Could you make sure they leave? If you wanna leave too-"

"I'm not going anywhere," she said, catching herself stroking his hair briefly before she pulled away, biting her lip. "I'll be right here when you wake up."

"Thank you, Bonnie Bennett," he muttered, tension finally letting go of his body as sleep dragged him under, and Bonnie smiled. Staying for a few more minutes, making sure he was sound asleep, she eventually made her way back, ready to deal with Damon and the police again.

...


	12. Two weeks

_I've been rewatching some Bonenzo lately, and can I just say that I'm still upset how they teased Enzo's death like, four times or so, and then, when he and Bonnie were finally both just happy, they ripped not just his heart out, but also mine. Those other few times would have all been better death scenes if they really wanted to get rid of him so badly. But this?_

_Why?! I wanna cry._

_End rant._

_..._

_SHummingbirdCK: thanks for your kind words! This motivates me to keep going because I know there are some people out there having some fun with this, too. :)_

_Jade: yup! That's Bonnie all right! Always the protector. I love her. lol_

* * *

…

* * *

…

Bonnie fell onto the couch, resting her head against the cushions behind her for a moment before she patted the seat next to hers for the remote. It had been such a damn long day, so much happening, so many phone calls and arrangements that she was more than ready for it to be over. But it was only seven o'clock, and she was still high on adrenaline and excitement and would need something to calm her down a bit before she could go to sleep.

With a sigh, she turned on the TV, switching listlessly between programs until she stumbled upon a news segment on some sports channel, gasping when she saw a grainy image of herself opening the door to Enzo's place.

_"As reported earlier, police had been called to Hybrids' point guard Lorenzo St. John's apartment. A woman we believe to be his girlfriend opened the door. She works as a doctor on the Hybrids' medical staff, but sources told us the call had nothing to do with domestic violence as was first reported._

_St. John, who is the team's current leading point guard after Damon Salvatore's gruesome injury just two months prior took him out of the game for a yet to be determined period, is having a breakthrough season this year…"_

Bonnie quickly switched to the next channel, mortified that she had been on the goddamn news! As Enzo's potential girlfriend! She hid her face in her hands, feeling all kinds of things, and none of them too happy.

They had even shown an archive pic of her right next to him… Ugh.

Taking out her phone, she dialed Caroline's number, needing someone to talk to about this.

"Hey girl. How you holding up?"

"I'm on the news, Care."

"What?"

Bonnie shook her head in disbelief. "I'm on the freaking news. They think I'm Enzo's girlfriend."

"Aw, that's…" Caroline stopped herself, her tone changing, "Um, are we happy or upset about this?"

"Upset of course!" What kind of question was that even?

"I mean, it could be worse," Caroline said hesitantly, "They could think you were the one the police came to collect…"

"You're supposed to help me feel _better_, not make it worse," Bonnie complained, pouting, though of course she knew Caroline was trying just that.

"At least he's cute. For a not-actually-your-boyfriend boyfriend. You could have done much worse. I should say, you did. Jeremy…"

"Will you stop!" Exasperated, Bonnie began to gnaw on her thumb. A little calmer and a lot more curious she asked, "Do you think they say anything else about me? Online..."

Caroline chuckled, but pretended to be serious and Bonnie was almost glad her friend couldn't see how worked up she was about this.

"I did see the online statement earlier, let me check…" She could hear Caroline do something with her computer before speaking again. "Hybrids issued an official statement now. Apparently it was first reported as domestic violence. Ouff. Here… 'breaking and entering… The perpetrator left before the police could arrest them… No one got hurt… blah blah blah.' Nothing too bad, Bonnie. There's this one news site that mentions that you were there to check on an 'undisclosed health issue Enzo is dealing with after yesterday's heated game'."

Bonnie made a face, slumping back down. "I need a wine. A nice wine and a foot massage, and a good cheesy movie. Ugh… what a day."

She could hear Caroline scoff. "You and me both, Bon… - I'm sorry, you definitely had the worse day…"

Chuckling softly, Bonnie pulled her legs up, getting ready for a good long phone talk. Caroline seemed to be working on her own issues. So, what better way to distract herself from the craziness of her own day than listening to Caroline's.

"Let me guess, yours has something to do with a certain Klaus Mikaelson…"

"He still hasn't called back or even messaged!" Caroline sighed loudly. "Oh gosh, he probably thinks I was too easy! I don't even do one-night-stands!"

"Care, don't beat yourself up. Maybe he'll get in touch later. He does seem like the type that needs everything to be on his terms."

"Ugh… I know. I'm just… I was so stupid."

"It'll be fine. You want me to talk to him? I'm sure I could make it happen, pretending I want to talk about these medical files he sent me and that I'm supposed to read tonight…"

"Oh gosh, no! Don't say a word!"

Caroline sounded genuinely horrified and Bonnie had to laugh despite herself. "Don't worry, girl, I was just joking."

"Well, not funny. Ugh, Bonnie. Why did we have to get into stupid basketball?"

"Pretty sure because you had a crush on a certain someone. I just came along for the ride."

And look where it had landed her…

* * *

…

It was an hour later that Bonnie finally hung up, having made sure that Caroline felt a little better. She decided to go and check on Enzo real quick before finally opening his medical files. Not that she wanted to read them, but Klaus had made it pretty clear that he expected her to know about all his players' medical histories intimately, first and foremost a certain Mr. Enzo St. John's. As if the man had already forgotten that up until yesterday Damon had been her main patient. She pressed her lips together in frustration at the thought. It felt a little like she had been demoted. No more taking care of the star of the team, just his obnoxious sidekick.

No, that wasn't true anymore, though, was it? Enzo had played incredibly well lately. And he wasn't actually all that obnoxious either. Biting her lip at the admittance, she softly scoffed. Things were changing fast…

When she got to the bedroom, he was still asleep. He had slept for most of the day already and while she knew it was just his body's way of dealing with the sickness, she couldn't help but worry anyways.

Carefully, she checked his breathing, relieved when it sounded almost back to normal. Still, his temperature was already way high again, and she went to grab a damp cool washcloth to wipe his face and neck with it. The movements, the entire moment was much more tender than anything she had done lately, and she was surprised at how… nice it felt.

Just when she was done, he made a soft noise, then peeled his eyes open to stare at her out of glassy eyes and all she could do was smile sympathetically.

"How you feeling?"

"Like I was run over by a truck and someone tried to roughly sew me back together, missing a few pieces?"

She chuckled, her hand absently resting on his chest. "I'll get you something for the pain and the fever. I'll be right back."

Before she could move too much, however, he gripped her arm, holding it firmly as he looked up at her with an expression that made her frown.

"Can you stay a moment?"

Her legs began to tingle strangely, her face and neck were next. As if she was about to do something forbidden. "Um," she stammered, suddenly self-conscious, "I…"

"It's alright," he muttered, "not part of the job description, of course. It's just... As soon as I close my eyes she's _there_ and I can't get her out of my bloody mind," He sounded feverish, not quite there, and at the same time anguished, and it made her feel a rush of sympathy. Quickly, she put her hand to his cheek, shushing him. Her thumb was a little too close to his lips...

"I'll stay with you for a while," she told him. "But I assure you that no one is here except you and me. Okay? You're safe here."

His eyes were already closed again, his fingers loosening their grip if not letting go when he muttered, "I don't deserve you, Bonnie Bennett."

She smiled involuntarily. "Maybe you do," she said, wondering where the hell that had come from and what exactly she could possibly mean by it.

Shaking her head at herself, she waited sitting by his side for a while, and even when she knew he was fast asleep again, she had a hard time taking his hand off her arm and leaving him there, so she went back to the living room briefly to grab the files, then decided to sit down next to him, sitting with her back leaning against the bed, her legs pulled up as she began to read.

So much for the wine and movie and massage, she thought, scoffing. That was just her luck. Not that there had been a chance for the latter anyways.

Flipping through pages after pages, she was shocked to learn just how often Enzo had been hospitalized in his life and she began to understand Klaus's and Damon's cryptic words about Enzo's issues with the medical field all too quickly.

Hospital stays for extreme exhaustion had accompanied most of his early career, first at a British boarding school, later in the States at high school, too. Like he hadn't known when to stop. Or the coaches had been too hard on him… She'd have to look into that Augustine Society for sure. That name kept popping up over and over again, first at that boarding school, then also later, after an abrupt asthma onset had almost killed him when he was 17. He had been brought to a medical facility run by the Society, and for some reason they had kept him there for four months.

Four months.

The reports of experimental treatments he had suffered through during that time to get his condition under control, treatments sponsored by the Augustine Society, sounded more like torture than treatment and it was surprising that the public didn't seem to know anything about these practices, or at least didn't care.

All the Society was known for when she checked online was as a great school for nurturing sports talents… But this… This was awful, and Bonnie clutched her hand to her mouth as she continued reading.

They had starved Enzo, put him on weird diets, had isolated him for weeks, all in the name of medicine. They had performed rather painful sounding and obscure treatments on him, chaining him to the bed when he had fought against them. Baths in ice water, something that sounded more like waterboarding than anything else, seemingly to "strengthen his lung capacity"... Forcing him to ride for hours on a bike attached to some construction that would shock him if he stopped for too long, also for that same purpose.

Until one day, Damon had appeared on the scene, one Niklaus Mikaelson in tow, and together, they had gotten the poor kid out of there. Thank goodness.

Bonnie looked at Enzo now, turning so she could run a hand over his clammy face, holding it there. Her heart was breaking for the kid he had once been. First Lily and then that...

Enzo's refusal to go to a hospital suddenly made way too much sense and she was relieved that she hadn't ended up making someone just force him there. Swallowing bile, she had to put the files down.

"Not exactly very uplifting literature, is it?"

She jumped at hearing his voice, banging her side when she turned toward him yet again, and she hissed an "Ow."

"You alright, love? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you…"

He was slowly pushing himself up with his arms until he was in a sitting position while she stood up, looking at him. Suddenly her mouth was too dry and she felt like she had just been caught in the act. She didn't like that feeling.

"Are you hurt?" He was squinting at her with real concern and it took her a moment to shake off the stupor and smile at him. "No, I'm okay." Just struck dumb apparently. She huffed, pressing her lips together.

He coughed, curling his arm around his middle, then tried to get up anyways and she shook her head at him.

"Nuh uh," she chided. "You'll stay put."

"Am I not even allowed a quick 'bathroom break'?" he asked with a lopsided smirk, and she blushed, feeling like an idiot.

"Of course, I'm sorry, I… - I'm sorry." She cast her eyes down, making a face. The stammering didn't help either, and she wanted the ground to open and swallow her, but he didn't seem to notice or mind, and when he came back from the bathroom a few minutes later, he still had a smile for her.

"You should really go home now, Bonnie Bennett. I assure you I can take care of myself." As if to mock his words, his body decided he needed to cough hard right then, making him gingerly touch his side as he slowly let himself down until he sat on the bed.

Bonnie gave him a pointed stare. "Not very convincing."

"You're relentless."

Grinning, she shrugged. "I've been called worse. And you, Mr. St. John, you belong in bed. Let me earn that ridiculous bonus Klaus said he is going to pay me for this extra service."

"'Extra service'... I wish it were as kinky as it sounds."

She scoffed, lightly slapping his arm. "Sick as a dog, but still making stupid jokes."

His nonchalant grin made her smile. Until she heard his next words, spoken as he was lying down again.

"You've seen the files. I've had worse. This… is nothing. I'll be fine. So if you want… I can tell Nik that you were here for all of it, but you don't have to stay…"

"Shh," she made, touching a finger to her lips. Then she stepped closer to the bed, hunching down in front of him until she could see him in the eyes. "I told you I'm not going anywhere, and I mean it."

His smirk was back, too disarming, making her feel all the wrong things, and she cursed herself. Then he coughed again, his breaths not reaching deep enough, but he didn't care, just closed his eyes.

"Maybe you'll change your mind tomorrow," he muttered, but she already knew that wasn't going to happen. Someone had to be there for him, had to monitor his lungs and make him do breathing exercises or he was going to get pneumonia for sure. And she couldn't let that happen. If she had any power to prevent that he'd have to get treated at a hospital again, she was going to use it. This man had suffered enough.

* * *

...

* * *

…

It was almost two weeks later that Bonnie found herself sitting at the kitchen table looking up as Enzo swaggered in, and she had to grin.

"Someone's feeling better," she noted, pointing her spoon at him and waving it around a little. "Look at you!"

He wagged his eyebrows, giving her a half-smirk in return before he sat down opposite her, taking up his usual slouchy position.

"For an athlete you have lousy posture, Enzo St. John."

"I just like to stay comfortable. You try being 6'10 and sitting in one of these chairs."

She chuckled, digging into her bowl of cereal again. "Why did you get them, then? Seems rather stupid."

"Well, a wise woman once told me - not in so many words - that I can't be that smart since I earn my living playing ball."

Half choking on a bite, she had to cough, embarrassed. "You remember that, huh?"

"It was our first meeting, of course I remember." His smile was disarming and she wanted to curse him for it. 13 days of living with him, of caring for him and making sure he was getting over the flu and not catching pneumonia, and she had begun to…

Yeah, what? Care about him? _Like_ him? Something like that…

Sighing, she tilted her head to look at him, ready to apologize when she saw him scrutinize her Cheerios before he abruptly pushed himself up again and walked over to the fridge.

"That's not a good breakfast choice. You'll need something heartier. I'll make you an omelette."

He could cook?

Bonnie scoffed at his words. "I don't think I need someone who chose grated cheese as a snack food to tell me anything about good food choices…"

Chuckling, Enzo leaned out the fridge door to smirk at her before he grabbed the Costco sized egg carton and made his way over to the stove.

"Protein," he explained. "Can't go wrong with that."

"Yeah, actually, you can. Depending on the amount… Don't forget the fiber or your digestion will get screwed." She shot him a pointed glance and he grinned back.

"I should know better than to argue with a certified doctor..."

It was her turn to chuckle.

As he began cooking now, Bonnie found herself watching him, the way his arms moved as he got the pan ready, then whisked the eggs, poured, seasoned and cooked them, muscles dancing even with these small movements. She was enjoying the view a little too much, and she bit her lip, shaking her head at herself. It would be good to get out of here. Maybe now it was finally time. He really was a lot better...

"I was thinking," she started, putting her spoon into the bowl with a clang, "since you seem to be so much better-"

"-that you'd let me go back to practice today?"

She chuckled softly. "You're desperate, aren't you?"

He turned briefly to give her a telling look, then moved on to plate the omelette. When he brought it over - one for her, and a huge one for himself, he sat down opposite her again, his gaze locking on hers until she was starting to feel slightly uneasy.

"Bon Appetit."

Forcing a smile back onto her face, she thanked him, then dug in.

"Oh my gosh, this is _good_," she acknowledged, and his genuine smile in response was almost a little too endearing. Aw, hell, she was falling for the baller, wasn't she? After two weeks of taking care of him, going through some awful things with him, they had grown a lot closer than she had ever thought possible, and she realized that it would be hard to go back to how things were before. But maybe this was somewhat of a Stockholm syndrome type thing, maybe she only felt like that because they had spent all this time together. Maybe she'd get back to normal quickly, as long as she…

"I think it's time I went back home," she blurted, and there was the briefest moment in which she saw a flicker go through his eyes, regret perhaps - but maybe she was flattering herself. Then he nodded, continuing to eat his eggs.

Bonnie felt a pang when she noticed that the bantery mood had abruptly ended and she didn't know just how to proceed from there until Enzo did it for her.

"I'd say it was a pleasure, Bonnie Bennett, but we both know better than that. I'm a mess and I'm sorry you had to witness all that. Still, it was a pleasure having you around."

"That's not…" She shook her head. "No. You're not a mess, Enzo. Actually, I'm surprised you're so… normal with what you've gone through."

He grinned awkwardly. "A lot of people would beg to differ."

"I'm not a lot of people."

"That, you aren't…"

They stared at each other, seconds passing, and Bonnie was getting lost in the depth of his eyes, the pain hidden in there somewhere. Lily was responsible for a big chunk of it. But there had been more. She remembered now what she had read in his medical files that she had studied as she had watched over him during the worst few days.

She had yet to ask Enzo about it, but so far she hadn't had the heart. He was too affected by it still, she knew that intimately.

"Let's go to practice together," he said, the silence broken, her train of thought abruptly stopping, and she smiled at him again.

"You're _so_ desperate." She chuckled as he shrugged.

"It's been two weeks. If I wait any longer I'll forget how to even play."

"You are still sore. I don't think-"

"Please?" He looked at her with such an intense stare that she felt unwanted goosebumps erupt on her arms.

"Enzo. We can't be too careful. You're not back to health. If you relapse, you could still catch pneumonia..."

"I feel much better. You said yourself, it's time for you to go home, to your regular work - and it's time for me to get back into things, too. I'm not good at sitting around idly."

"I've noticed," she grumbled, and he grinned when she gave him a grudging, "Fine. But nothing too strenuous. Light exercise. No games yet."

"The home one against Golden State is coming up in two weeks-"

"I said no games."

His smile wavered, turning into an almost-glare. "It's two weeks from now."

"Enzo!" She was growing exasperated again. But she was also tired of fighting. She knew he needed this. He was slowly getting over the whole thing with Lily and he was getting better physically, it was just…

She was still worried about him.

He had refused to go after Lily, had refused to talk about it to the police, and she wondered whether the woman wouldn't show up at one of the games again. But she also knew she couldn't keep him from playing forever. And as long as he took it easy, maybe she could put him on a severe minutes restriction in two weeks? Have him play only if he did okay in practice?

And what if he did suffer a relapse? Caught pneumonia after all? Ugh, this was harder than she had thought.

"You're still barely recovering."

"I'm fine."

"And how often was that true in the last two weeks, Enzo St. John? Huh?"

He glared at her, pushing his plate away, ready to retort when she gave a sigh and waved her hands.

"But fine. We'll work something out. _If _\- and that's a big if - you'll do okay in practice. Then you might play in two weeks. There'll be a hefty minutes restriction, though, and you are not gonna complain. At all. You will _thank _me. And the second I see you struggling or wincing or coughing or so much as looking at someone the wrong way, you're out."

His features softened into a smile as he nodded. "You have yourself a deal, Bonnie Bennett."

She looked at him, taking another bite of omelette, trying not to smile too wide. With a soft scoff she shook her head. She was going to regret this, wasn't she?

* * *

…

* * *

...

"Damon Salvatore…"

Coach Ric beamed at his star player, giving him an exaggerated bro hug once Damon had made it over to where he had been standing at the sidelines, yelling instructions at the team. But now he made a sign to one of the assistant coaches and motioned for Damon to follow him to the bench, where they sat down.

"How's the leg," he asked and Damon gave him a wry look.

"What do you think?"

Alaric grinned, patting him on the shoulder. "It takes time, you know that. Just do your physical therapy, and rest. We need you back, Salvatore."

An involuntarily bitter scoff escaped Damon, he couldn't help it. "Don't lie so blatantly, coach. It doesn't suit you. The team's been doing alright without me, thanks to whatever the hell you did to make Enzo turn into a three-point-god. Not to mention the kid's percentage from the charity stripe is almost 95." Damon shook his head, both impressed and a little miffed.

"Kid's been putting up insane numbers, that's for sure." Alaric shot him a glance and Damon tried to smile, tried to be happy for his friend - and the team.

"So, he gonna play tonight?"

It was the game against the Golden State Warriors… Damon felt a pang at thinking about it. He had wanted to show the world that he and his team could beat the NBA's superteam easily, but now he'd get to watch from the sidelines at best. Absently, he rubbed his leg, leaning forward a bit as he did.

He didn't quite catch what Coach Saltzman replied for right then his gaze fell on a scene where the assistant coach waved Enzo over to him, Bonnie standing beside him with her arms crossed.

When Enzo walked over, all casual swag in his sleeveless shirt, holding a ball under his arm, he could see how Bonnie seemed to waver a bit, taking a small step back when Enzo stood right in front of her.

She said something to him, making him smile a smile Damon hadn't seen in a long time. If ever. The two talked some more, looking way too casual, too oblivious of the world around them. Then Bonnie slapped Enzo's arm, making him almost drop the ball but not quite and she started giggling.

Bonnie Bennett was _giggling_. And it did something to Damon, he wasn't quite sure what it was. Was he… jealous of Enzo?

When Bonnie had caught herself, they both grew serious again and eventually Damon saw Enzo give an almost curt nod before he went back out on the court toward their teammates to continue practicing.

"She's very thorough with keeping him in check," Alaric remarked offhandedly, and Damon glanced at him sideways.

"Keeping him in check?"

"You know how carried away he can get. He's just two weeks out from that 'asthma-flare-up-cum-flu' episode. - He's almost as crazy about the game as you, Damon…"

Ric chuckled as Damon made a face. "I don't know about that," he muttered, thinking his friend was crazy about something quite different. Some_one_…

Clicking his tongue, he looked up as Alaric got up again, patting his shoulder one more time.

"You're sorely missed, Vampire. Don't forget that. We need you back. Work with Luke-"

"Bonnie's back, actually."

"Right." The coach gave a nod. "Well, she's done wonders for St. John. Especially after that awful mess with-"

"My mother? Yeah…"

Damon almost had to laugh at Alaric's sheepish expression. For a second the coach must have forgotten who he was talking to. It was a little funny, in a very not funny way…

"I'm sorry, bud… Anyways, I gotta go. Time for some pep talk. We gotta give our best tonight."

"I'll be a good cheerleader," Damon said, but his joke sounded weak even to himself.

When the coach had left, Damon watched his teammates for a little while longer, until it pained him too much. He should be out there… Running both hands over his face, he took a deep breath, preparing himself to get back up again. As he grabbed his damn crutches, a shadow fell over him and he looked up.

"Hey." Bonnie smiled at him, and he grinned.

"If it isn't my favorite doc."

"Damon..."

He tsk-ed. "You're supposed to say that I'm your favorite baller." She made a duh-expression, but already Damon was smirking. "No, wait. That would be someone else, wouldn't it?"

Her soft huff and her frown couldn't fool him. They wouldn't fool anyone. "Aw, come _on_," he said, "You and Lorenzo… the UST between you two just now was palpable all the way from over here."

"Pfft. In your head maybe. There's no UST whatsoever between us. We've become friends, is all. Two weeks in the same apartment and going through that kind of crap will do that to you."

"Nope." Damon shook his head as he finally stood up, and they began walking together a bit. Or rather, he was freaking hobbling, as usual. "You and him… I sense an epic lovestory in the making. You might not know this yet, but Enzo is an incurable romantic, so there's bound to be roses and champagne and nighttime dancing under the stars in your future…"

"Damon, stop it."

"What?" He gave her an innocent look and she shook her head. But she was smiling.

"It's not gonna happen. He's… been through a lot. And I… I don't date my patients anyways. I like to keep it professional."

"Everybody out there already thinks you two are an item, the real deal, the hottest couple since Brangelina-"

She rolled her eyes, and he looked at her, mock-serious.

"Alright, alright. No Brangelina comparisons, got it. But mark my words, BonBon. There's something in the air, and while you might not have noticed it yet, doesn't mean it's not happening."

"Will you stop it?! Come on, let's get you to the gym and do some work together."

He winked at her, smirking. "I love the sound of that." He paused, then asked, only half joking, though she wouldn't know that, "You think Enzo gets jealous when you hang out with me?"

Bonnie scoffed, not gracing his question with a reply and he decided to let it go. "Speaking of my favorite Brit, how's he doing?"

The frown she gave him was genuine. "I thought he's your friend. Don't you guys talk?"

"We do. Just… not about Lily? It's… a difficult subject, I guess. For everyone involved…"

"Yeah…"

They both fell silent, their moods completely changed, and suddenly Damon wished he'd never brought it up, brought _her _up.

* * *

…

Lily flattened her clothes, sitting down in the one sofa chair her motel room had to offer, and switched the TV on. She was beginning to detest New Orleans and it's damp, too hot climate, the people around her, the atmosphere, everything.

But she couldn't leave yet. There was still that hope that she and Enzo could reconcile. If only she got him when he was alone.

When his face appeared on the screen of the sports channel she had chosen with calculation, she got up and walked toward it, smiling as she stroked the screen as if it was him.

"Oh, Enzo…"

Sighing, she forced herself to stop being ridiculous and sat back down on the chair, listening to the report, hoping they wouldn't mention her. So far he had kept her name out of this, a sure sign that he still had feelings for her, still cared.

As did she.

A brief clip came up, someone interviewing coach Alaric Saltzman, asking about Enzo's return to the roster for tonight's game, and she was trying to listen to what he was saying - something about how good it was for the team that he was back, how he was on a minutes restriction due to just having overcome the flu, how their other flu victims were finally all back and they were just missing Damon now. But at the end of it the camera zoomed in on the players, and suddenly she saw him, Lorenzo… talking to that girl again.

His smile was positively disarming, and Lily's breath caught in her throat.

Whenever she had seen or heard those silly reports about how this young woman was his new girlfriend, Lily had chuckled to herself. The girl herself had told her they were just friends. But that smile… She wasn't sure _he_ still saw it that way. And that… was not good.

Swallowing, she sat up straighter, glaring at the girl on the TV. She was a doctor working for the team, Damon's physical therapist if she was informed correctly. Maybe it was time she checked whether this girl would be at the game tonight, or where else if not there.

Maybe it was time she made sure this Bonnie Bennett stayed out of the lives of her son and her lover, time, too, to have that talk with Enzo.

Tonight was as good a time as any. After all Lily didn't have time to lose.


	13. Turn for the worse

…

_Guest: thank you so much! I feel honored that this story got to be the first one you ever reviewed. I do hope that maybe the experience will encourage you to leave more feedback in the future! Truly, your words mean so much! I'm so so happy to hear that you like this story. :)_

_And knowing there are people out there - among them you! - that actually think so is always, always a big motivational booster to keep going. _

_._

_Jade: aw, thank you! And I'm so happy I get to share them with you! You've seriously been amazing. Following my crazy Benzo stories from the get go._

_And you're right: I just don't get why they didn't do more with Bonnie's awesome dimension. I mean they even hinted at Enzo being there and then… ugh. They deserved so much more. But yeah, that's how my first ever Benzo story was inspired. lol_

_So happy you liked the banter in the last one. It was about time for some of that. :)_

* * *

…

Bonnie was distracted. Seriously awfully distracted. On the way down to the team's own gym with Damon, she found herself checking over her shoulder every so often, barely able to listen to his chatter, but it only got worse from there.

She was trying to focus on Damon, guiding him through the exercises, but her mind kept going back to the short interaction she had had with Enzo by the court.

After she had returned home two weeks ago, she had seen him nowhere near as often anymore as she had come to be used to, and for some reason, it didn't have the desired effect. Instead of making her forget whatever stupid feelings she had begun to feel for him, it had made them start getting out of control.

Just last night she had found herself dreaming rather… inappropriate dreams involving him, and she had to look down as the memory came back to her now.

"Earth to BonBon!"

Damon snapped his fingers, and she looked up with a glare.

"What?"

He chuckled, carefully lifting his leg off the table she had had him lie on for the physical therapy. Then he hopped down, grabbing his crutches.

"We're not done here." Bonnie's tone brokered no argument and yet he merely gave her a mild grin.

"No, maybe not. But _you _are. Come on, go out there and watch the practice session. I know you want to."

"Damon, I'm not on practice duty."

"No, you're on Damon-duty." Abruptly his tone had changed into a rather regretful one and she looked at him with sympathy. But he waved it off. "And I'm giving you the morning off. Go do what you do to keep Enzo in check so he doesn't overexert himself before tonight's game. We need him to be at his best if we want to have any chance at winning this."

Bonnie pressed her lips together, fussing with her hands before she made herself stop. "I told him to take it easy. He usually listens to me, so-"

"I'd say that's surprising because he never listens to anyone. But then, you _are_ Bonnie Bennett - and I think our poor boy might have a crush on you."

Despite herself, Bonnie perked up, blurting, "What makes you think that?" before she could stop herself. The words were out too quickly and she bit her lip when she realized it.

But Damon looked unperturbed. He was standing beside her, nudging her lightly. "Because it's glaringly obvious. If you knew him the way I do, you'd see it too." He paused, a strange fond look on his face that made Bonnie realize just how deep - if strange - the friendship of these two men was. But before she could think about it too much, however, he interrupted her musings. "Come on," he cajoled, "we'll watch them together. Give 'em a few tips for the game."

"We really need to continue with your physical therapy."

"Not right now, we don't. Don't be a spoilsport. Let's go."

"I'll be here tonight anyways. I'm on duty for the game…"

Damon gave a theatrical sigh. "And where do you think I'll be? Exactly! In the not so comfortable comfort of my home. So, can't a guy catch a break and be allowed some extra time with his teammates? If you'll make me beg, I will. Please BonBon." His puppy dog eyes were hilarious, and Bonnie couldn't help but chuckle. Finally she relented, nodding, and Damon beamed.

"Just so you know," he said, "I'm the best wingman you could hope for."

Scoffing, she rolled her eyes. "I don't need a wingman for watching basketball practice."

"No, but for Enzo, silly," he said, chuckling as she slapped him. He wouldn't ever let it go, would he?

* * *

...

The basket made an almost popping sound, and Enzo's shot from three went in with ease. He grinned, high fiving his teammates. He went to retrieve the ball, his gaze falling on Bonnie chatting with Damon as they made their way back toward the bench, and he smiled as her gaze met his, then he lowered his head to focus on the game.

Because this woman had begun to do something to him, something strange. Lately he had started to live for those few moments during practice when she would check on him, making sure he did as he had promised and took it easy. A few times he hadn't and she had caught him, and even though maybe he should have been upset about it, he had enjoyed the little angry lectures she had given him.

It had almost become a bit of a game for them at this point, a game she always won.

Too bad she was busy with Damon so much, or he'd get to see her a little more often. It seemed almost unreal now that just a few weeks ago she had spent almost every moment of every day by his side, and the apartment hadn't been the same since. He missed her there. He - the man that couldn't stand being trapped anywhere, with anyone - wished back the days he had been confined to his home with just her for company.

Sniffing, he rubbed his face briefly before forcing himself to focus back on the game as Lincoln yelled for him to get going.

He tried to ignore her sitting by the sidelines next to Damon as he made his moves, but it wasn't easy. There she was, always just a quick gaze away, and eventually he found himself smirking in her direction every time he scored.

And every time he missed a shot or botched a move, he exchanged a glance with Damon, who kept making smartass comments from where he sat.

"Come on Lorenzo, if you want to show Steph that he's not the only one who can make insane threes, you better step it up a bit! I could have made that last one blindfolded. _With _my broken leg."

Enzo rolled his eyes, waving Damon off with a grin. He was too used to the man's constant jesty remarks to be too perturbed by them. Besides, he could see right through them to the real issue. Damon was bummed that he wouldn't be able to play tonight, that he didn't get the chance to show just how good he was. Poor Damon hadn't been very lucky during most matches against the Warriors, so every game had become a big thing for him personally, too. He had something to prove, and he wouldn't get a chance to do it for quite some time. Enzo knew that it weighed heavy on his friend. Still…

After half an hour or so of constant abuse from the sidelines, he eventually grew tired of it after all, however. Gritting his teeth in annoyance, he decided to focus the negative energy into playing even harder, making shot after shot, not always scoring, but it was good enough.

Suddenly, the team, who had split into two groups, found themselves in quite a heated match against each other, both sides running, jumping, racing, scoring as if it was already the real deal, and for a while Enzo forgot everything else around him.

Until the coach started yelling from the sidelines.

"Take it a notch down, guys!" he hollered, waving rather angrily, "I don't need any of you to get injured before tonight's game. St. John, you go see Doc Bennett. _Now_. Let her make sure you're not overdoing it here."

"Coach, I'm nowhere near my limit," he started, but the coach had no patience and spoke right over him.

"Let her be the judge of that. We know what happened last time we didn't listen to her and we can't afford something like that again. Especially before tonight."

Enzo glared at the man, eyes flickering as he reined in a retort. While he didn't mind an opportunity to spend some time with Bonnie, he had hoped it wouldn't be over his stupid health again.

"Go," Alaric repeated with a clipped tone and pointed stare before he walked past Enzo toward the other team members with a grim expression. Lincoln and Marcel both shot Enzo a look, a grin on their faces, and Marcel mouthed a "lucky bastard," which made Enzo smirk back. Maybe his mate was right. At least Enzo didn't have to listen to the coach's following lecture.

Bonnie's would be enough to deal with. At least she was much cuter, and she had been in a good mood earlier…

* * *

...

"This is not what we agreed on," Bonnie said when Enzo had made his way over to her, and Damon beside her said, "You tell him, BonBon. The idiot is gonna ruin our chances tonight if he takes himself out of the game before it has even started."

Bonnie saw the smirk Enzo had had for her vanish abruptly, making room for something darker. But before he could say anything in return, she held him back with a hand on his chest, feeling him breathe a bit too harshly. "Focus on me," she told him with a stern look, and thankfully he soon did, if grudgingly.

"Tell him to shut his mouth, will you?"

"Enzo…"

"Is there anything else you could tell me for a change?" Damon asked, "Because I'm beginning to feel like everything you ever say to me these days is to shut my mouth." He had gotten up, and Bonnie's frustration with both of them grew when Enzo stepped to the side to get in Damon's face after all.

"That's because you never know when to stay quiet."

"Down boys. Stop." Bonnie's tone had changed. She was extending her arms, trying to shove them apart as they were putting on a show, sizing each other up, getting in each other's personal spaces. Rolling her eyes at their annoying alpha male antics, she planted herself firmly between them now, first staring up at Damon, pushing herself against Enzo when he didn't seem to get the memo that the show was over before it had really started.

"You: back off. I think it's time for you to go home. You're not helping." She turned around without waiting for Damon's reply, focusing on Enzo instead. "And you: I thought I had made myself clear." Handing him his inhaler with a glare, she typed in a timer on her phone before she continued, "If you can't get that breathing under control within the next five minutes, you're out for tonight."

"You can't do that."

"Ooooh, watch me."

"I'm fine!"

_Hell yes you are_, a little voice inside her head said, throwing her off for just a moment before she had herself back under control.

"That remains to be seen. I told you to take it easy. I _warned _you that tonight's attendance relied in a large part on how well you'd do during practice. How you can follow orders. This right now? That's the reason you end up on the sidelines - or the hospital. You want that?"

He cocked his head, squinting at her. Something was going on behind those dark eyes, and she began to feel slightly uneasy. But then he took the inhaler, used it and broke into a smirk.

"I want to play," he said, plain and simple, no apologies, no explanations, not even a real answer to her question - though of course it had been rhetorical anyways. Still, it irked her. It made her furious, but that stupid disarming smile pulled the rug right out from under her. "Can I go now, Bonnie Bennett?"

Raising her chin defiantly, she shook her head, checking the time. "Four more minutes. You'll wait right here for four more minutes. Then I'll check your lungs. And maybe you can go back then. _If _you take it easy."

He raised his eyebrows, but didn't say anything.

The minutes stretched and Bonnie stood her ground, feeling her stupid legs grow shaky.

"You two are adorable, you know that?" Damon eventually piped up from where he had sat back down on the bench, and Bonnie and Enzo both turned to shout a "Shut up" at him, making him raise his arms in surrender. "Case in point," he sang, his grin only widening before he mercifully did keep quiet.

They both watched the timer on her phone, as if this was some kind of standoff, then, when the time was up, Enzo grabbed her hand, placing it against his chest, over his lungs, holding it there.

"Seem okay to you?" he asked, and she glared up at him, waiting a moment before she tore her hand away.

"Go," she told him with a jerk of her head, both relieved he was fine and a little annoyed that she didn't have a reason to bench him, and the winning smirk he shot her didn't help lighten her mood either.

Why the hell was it suddenly so easy for him to get under her skin?

"Don't tell me again that there isn't UST between you guys," Damon suddenly whispered in her ear, before he limped past her toward the exit, leaving her feeling rather flustered.

* * *

...

Gamenight. Lately, Caroline had begun to not enjoy it as much anymore. Watching the Hybrids play, catching glimpses of Klaus's sometimes stoic, sometimes feverish expressions, it all wasn't so thrilling now that she hadn't heard back from him in almost a month.

A month. Why was she even still thinking about him? The signal couldn't be much clearer than if he had shouted it from the rooftops. Caroline Forbes was an easy fuck.

Ugh. She squeezed her eyes shut as she closed the door to her store after a long and tiring day, jiggling with her keys as she made sure everything was safely locked. Ever since Bonnie's scary incident with that crazy Salvatore mom, they all had grown a bit more cautious, Caroline included.

"Hello, Caroline."

Whirling around in shock, she almost dropped her keys as she found herself facing Klaus Mikaelson, who was standing a mere few inches away from her in his too fancy suit, and with his too fancy limousine parked at the curb, his driver waiting.

"What are you doing here?" she hissed, looking around as if this could be a trap of some sort, although of course that was a ridiculous thought.

"I would like to invite you to the game tonight," he said so nonchalantly that she wanted to slap him. And then she did, startling not just him, but herself too.

Gasping, she pulled her hand away, half covering her mouth as she stared at his surprised face, waiting for a reaction that came all too fast. Not two seconds later she found herself pinned against the door, his hand around her neck, his face, his lips too close to hers.

"Let. Go."

"What was that?" he hissed, but she merely glared at him, trying to free herself and failing. When he didn't let go but she realized he also didn't hurt her, she finally deflated a bit, though she kept pouting.

"I'm not someone you can just fuck and then dump," she said, "You didn't even pick up your stupid cashmere coat. It's sitting in my apartment and I've been _this_ close to just tossing it in the trash about a million times."

He blinked, the corners of his mouth curling up. "And why didn't you?"

"Because…" She huffed, angry now. Because she hadn't been able to do it. Hadn't been able to ditch her hopes. Because she was stupid, apparently.

Then why was he here now? Inviting her to spend time. At a public place… Maybe her hopes hadn't been so stupid after all. "Because it's a nice piece of clothing that doesn't deserve to be tossed just because its owner is an asshole."

Klaus smiled, tilting his head to squint at her with evident amusement.

"I like that," he said, and she grumbled. Because apparently she also didn't have any pride. Scoffing, she tried wiggling out from under Klaus's grasp, but he was too strong.

"So…" He eyed her like a lion its prey. "Will you join me?"

"You didn't call or message in four weeks - _four_ long weeks - and now you want me to come to the stupid game with you? What is this? Pity? Or did you get stood up by your… your _actual_ date or something? Is that it?"

"I was busy."

"Busy. Well, oookay. In that case…" She rolled her eyes, anger making her brows furrow. She couldn't believe this man. But when he finally let her go and she could have run, she found herself staying, staring at him.

"I'm sorry. I realize I should have called earlier. I've been meaning to give you this…"

He handed her an envelope, and when she opened it, there was a season ticket inside. And… was that a hand drawn card? A portrait of herself stared back at her… Eyes widening, she took it out, unfolding it.

_I want you to be mine, _it read, short and simple, and rather demanding. But for some reason, it made her tingle in all the right places.

Sighing, she looked at him, her heart already making a decision that her mind was telling her was wrong, wrong, wrong. But she couldn't help it. Her moral compass Bonnie Bennett would be so disappointed, wouldn't she? Bonnie never made decisions in the heat of the moment, so why did Caroline?

She had barely thought it before she leaned in and grabbing Klaus's shirt, kissed him.

* * *

…

Bonnie was so damn nervous. It seemed to be awfully obvious too, because Luke kept shooting her these sideways glances.

"What?" she asked at some point, fed up with whatever unspoken thing was bothering him, and he shrugged, grinning at her.

"Nothing," he evaded but she wasn't having that.

"Spit it out," she ordered, "but it better not have anything to do with some damn UST."

His grin widened, if that was even possible. "So I'm not the only one who noticed, huh?"

Bonnie made a face, focusing on checking her supplies one last time before the game would soon start. Already the stadium was filling up, so many people here for the big game, and she could feel the anticipation in the air.

Which meant so could Enzo. And he'd want to fight her on his restriction again. Just like the coach, and Klaus. She knew that, too. This morning she had already gotten a taste of it and she knew she'd have to be thorough monitoring him tonight. With a sigh, she turned around finally, about to take her seat, when she saw the players coming down the hallway, Enzo leading the way. He was still wearing a hooded longsleeve and tearaway pants to stay warm, and she involuntarily smiled when his gaze landed on her.

He walked past her, way too closely she found, his sleeve brushing hers, and she bit the inside of her lower lip to keep that smile from growing out of control. What the hell was going on with her? She should be angry at him for his behavior earlier.

"Hello, love," he said, his sonorous voice making her press her lips together briefly as she rolled her eyes.

"Hello yourself." _Real smooth_, Bonnie, she thought, annoyed with herself.

Maybe Caroline had been right. Her friend had blamed her own little thing with Klaus on the fact that she had been starved for some sexual attention, and Bonnie, too, hadn't had much happen in that regard, not since Jeremy… But Enzo? She grimaced at the thought, then chided herself silently. Was that really it? Was she just freaking horny?

Enzo had long passed when Luke nudged Bonnie's side again.

"Hate to tell you this," he muttered, "but that right there was definitely a moment. And I mean, you two were barely even grazing each other. So, whoever mentioned UST to you, they had it right. Better do something about that 'U' part soon."

Luke chuckled as she slapped him lightly, not gracing his comment with a reply.

When the game started shortly after, she forgot about her struggles for a while, just watching the game, watching their team almost go under as KD and Steph Curry seemed to decimate them within seconds. It was awful. She flinched so often within that first quarter that it was downright ridiculous.

From the corner of her eye she saw how agitated Enzo was growing. He hadn't been in the starting line up due to his heavy minutes restriction, and she knew the coach wanted to wait till the latter half of the game before bringing him, but clearly, Enzo didn't like it.

Come the second quarter, she could see him quietly arguing with Alaric, who finally brought him toward the tail end. Bonnie's hands were sweating where she was gripping her seat, not even trying anymore to appear calm.

There he was, Enzo St. John, jogging onto the court, ready to play his first game since he had been out. And play he did. As if he had never been gone, he scored and fought, he ran, and jumped, even shooting an impressive three from half-court, as if he wanted to show Curry of the Warriors that other people could do it too.

Bonnie was gnawing on the inside of her lip so vigorously that she winced when she accidentally hurt herself, and forcing herself to stop she wiped a hand across her mouth just as Enzo came casually jogging down the court, his gaze briefly meeting hers, and he grinned, wagging his eyebrows, making her chuckle despite herself.

"Showoff," she mouthed, making his smile widen before he focused back on the game.

Her heart was beating too fast, and when the third quarter was finally over and the Hybrids had almost caught up, she was so ready for the calm and peace of her own four walls that it wasn't even funny anymore.

At least Enzo had been listening to her orders so far and seemed to be doing just fine. Nothing a quick puff of his inhaler couldn't take care of.

When she took a minute to catch her own breath, her gaze fell on Klaus Mikaelson and whom she had thought was just the next blonde by his side. But now she had to do a double take as she realized it was Caroline who was waving over to her.

"What are you doing?" she mouthed, and Care shrugged at her innocently, a sheepish grin on her face.

"You think you can cover for me for a minute?" Bonnie asked Luke beside her, who nodded with a frown, and she pointed over to her best friend. "I need to talk some sense into this one before she does anything stupid."

Luke grinned. "Uh huh… and maybe she can also talk some sense into you so that you _will _do something stupid?"

"Shut up," she told him with a chuckle, then she quickly began to make her way over toward Caroline, just as the fourth quarter was starting up.

Bonnie had barely made it to the start of Caroline's row, when she felt something ice cold being pressed against her neck however, and she froze.

"So good to see you here," a sweet voice said out loud, "come follow me, we're all sitting over there…"

Her heart thudding in her chest, she tried to shoot a glance down to the court where she could see Enzo playing. It looked almost like he was dancing around Draymond Green, then past Iguodala, past Durant, and…

"Don't make a sound," Lily whispered in her ear, making a shiver creep up from the small of Bonnie's back to the nape of her neck where the woman was pressing what Bonnie had to guess was a gun against her too hot skin.

"Lily, don't. This is not gonna make Enzo-"

"Shhhh," Lily made, grabbing Bonnie's arm as if they were old friends. She had moved the weapon so it was pushed against Bonnie's ribs, and she winced in discomfort.

This was not good. There were hundreds of people around her, and she didn't know how to ask even a single one of them for help without endangering anyone.

"What do you think this will accomplish?" she asked, hoping that making the woman talk would maybe help her see the error of her ways.

"You'll see soon enough. Come with me now. If you make a sound, I'll have you know there's a friend of mine in the crowd tonight, ready to shoot Enzo if anything happens to me. So at least we can be united in death."

"You're insane," Bonnie said in horror as she realized just how crazy Lily Salvatore had become. When Lily pushed a little harder into her ribs, however, Bonnie fell silent, panic making her tense.

She tried to catch Caroline's attention, Luke's, even Enzo's. But it was futile. No one was expecting her to be in the hands of a crazy person in their midst. No one. Taking a few short breaths, she tried to force herself to stay calm as snuck her hand into her pocket, fumbling with her phone. Maybe she could make a call, get it to connect so that someone would be able to track her.

Maybe…

As she half stumbled alongside Lily, she couldn't see who she was trying to call, hoping it was Caroline, or maybe Elena. She also didn't know whether the call connected at all or not. All she could do was follow Lily, through the stadium and out, out until she could feel the cool night air in her face, and still they kept going.

Until she realized that she had a chance now that there was no one else there who would see them. Lily's ominous friend wouldn't know about it if Bonnie managed to take her out. He wouldn't shoot Enzo now, so Bonnie had to try to break free, right now. It was her best chance...

With a quick movement, she tried to shove Lily away so she could run. Surprise had been on her side so her attempt was successful enough. Lily fell to the ground, a cough immobilizing her further. Bonnie used the opportunity to run back toward the stadium as fast as she could. She had to warn Enzo, had to save herself, too.

But then a shot rang out and before the sound had quite registered with her, she was already slumping to the ground, staring at a growing red stain on her shirt.

"No," she breathed, clutching at it with both her hands, staring up at the sky. "No…"

…


	14. Limbo

_Guest: Yeeees, on the plus side in all this mess someone will have to take care of Bonnie for a change and it better involve a certain someone… :) Thanks for your review! And sorry about the cliffhanger. lol._

_Jade: absolutely! These two need to work on that UST! And yes, you know that I like to have Benzo suffer a bit in my stories, but they'll always have a happy ending. So fear not, this story won't be any different. :) Thanks as always for being here._

_Special shoutout also to IntrovertedxxMusings, who has joined us on this crazy ride._

* * *

…

"BonBon! Shouldn't _you _be watching Lorenzo in his glory right about now?"

Damon had a smirk on his face, admittedly feeling good about himself. Bonnie Bennett was calling him, _now_, while the game was in progress, and it had to mean that she cared about him. That she was worried.

And that did feel nice.

Screw that awful and rather obvious sexual tension between her and homeboy earlier. He knew there was something there between those two of course, but it was still sweet to see that she had other things on her mind, too.

Like him.

"Bon?"

Strangely, though, she remained awfully quiet, to a degree that started to worry him. Pressing the phone closer to his ear, he adjusted his position on the couch, turning down the volume as he saw Enzo score in what he could only describe as a true circus shot. The kid had been fouled, had been falling. And yet, without even being able to see, he had caught the ball behind his back somehow and brought his arm up to throw it toward the basket before he had hit the ground.

"Will you look at that?!" it escaped him as he watched it all unfold in the replay. That ball should have never gone in. But it had.

"BonBon, I'm starting to think you just wanted to rub it in…"

The sounds of the stadium had dulled considerably on her end, and his frown grew as she still remained quiet.

Abruptly, a loud banging noise reached his ear and he winced, his frown turning into a nervous grimace. What the hell was going on on her end? Had that been a shot?

"Bonnie, you are officially scaring me. You win this round, okay? Just… tell me you're alright. Come on, talk to me Bon."

But there was nothing. Then… sounds of breathing? Clipped, strained. And footsteps. Hurrying. A car door?

"Bonnie! Bonnie!"

There was just a rustle now as he tried to hobble to his other phone - his work phone as he had dubbed it - as fast as possible, dialing 911. Because something clearly wasn't right, and Bonnie not the type to play such sick jokes on him.

Someone had taken her.

* * *

…

Lily coughed under the strain of the last few minutes as Beau helped her get the body out of the car and into the old abandoned house. No one would be looking for the girl here.

"Was this necessary?" he said with a reprimanding look when he noticed the blood on the girl's clothes, and Lily gave him an innocent look. It wasn't like she had wanted to shoot the girl. She hadn't meant to hurt her. After all, she still wanted to use her as bait for Lorenzo. An incentive to come see her, talk to her.

_Be_ with her…

All he'd have to do to save the girl was say goodbye to her forever, and stay with Lily.

"We'll have to make sure the bullet is not in there anymore," Beau told her as she weakly flopped onto a couch that had been half eaten by moths. This was probably not the best place for someone with a lung condition she realized when her gaze fell on the moldy walls. Then she shrugged.

"Do whatever it takes to keep her alive. But we can't bring her to a hospital. It will have to be here. And I'll try and get Lorenzo on the line."

Beau made a face, but nodded as he went to work, and Lily took a moment to catch her breath.

* * *

…

The fourth quarter went by in a crazy blur of fast moves, the Hybrids making the impossible happen: they beat the Warriors by just two points, but it was a win, and it felt damn good.

Enzo had played his heart out for as long as he could, sinking onto the bench just a few minutes before the game was officially up, hoping that it wouldn't go into overtime because he was all out of minutes - and all out of breath.

The good thing was that he didn't get a lecture. But then, when the game was over and he looked across to where the medical staff was usually hanging around and he didn't see Bonnie Bennett anywhere, his mood sank a little anyways.

Where had she vanished to so quickly?

But he didn't have much time to wonder because a bunch of media people came rushing toward him, asking for interviews, for a statement from the guy who had out-threed Stephen Curry himself, and even though Enzo didn't care much for the spotlight, he had to admit that it did feel kind of neat.

After they finally made their way toward the lockers, however, he caught up with Luke Parker, the med bloke he always saw hanging with Bonnie, and sidling up, he asked about her whereabouts.

"Have you seen Bonnie? I had expected her to give me flack but she's nowhere to be found."

Luke looked up to him with a suddenly all too worried expression, and Enzo squinted at him, grabbing the man's shoulder to stop him from walking any further.

"What is going on?"

"Um," the guy stuttered, "you're not gonna get her in trouble, are you? Because-"

"Just spit it out already!"

Luke looked like he was contemplating how best to word it, then, when Enzo gave him a bit of a shake, he lifted his arms to his sides. "Easy. She's… she went to meet a friend at the beginning of the fourth. I think she might have just forgotten time or something, coz she never came back."

Enzo glared at the man before him, abruptly letting go. That did not sound like the Bonnie Bennett he had come to know. At all. She wouldn't "forget time." Not when she was working, not when…

… when she was supposed to keep an eye on him? Was that what he was thinking? He felt a little miffed when he realized that that was exactly it. But it didn't matter now. What did matter, however, was that something was going on with Bonnie, and he had a feeling that it wasn't just some flight of fancy of hers that had made her disappear.

Leaving a perplexed Luke standing there, he walked toward the lockers, a strange frustration taking a hold of him. He'd check his phone, try and call her perhaps. He could call Damon-

No. He'd have to take a step back and chill or he'd come across as a slightly psychotic stalker. What if she had indeed just met a friend? Maybe it was the blonde with Nik and it had been Nik personally who had allowed her to stay. She wouldn't have felt obligated to go back to her place by the bench then, would she?

Sniffing angrily, he ran a hand over his face. What the bloody hell was wrong with him lately? Was he just growing paranoid because deep down he still feared Lily would return out of whatever hole she'd disappeared to?

Taking a deep breath that made him cough involuntarily, he shook his head, finally allowing the good mood in the locker room to distract him again, to carry him all the way toward the showers and beyond.

He'd have to accept that Bonnie Bennett was not his to worry about, thinking otherwise would just mess with his head...

* * *

…

Bonnie came to in a dark musty smelling place, gasping as memory whooshed back with a vengeance.

Lily.

Wincing as the pain in her side came to the forefront of her being, she moved her shaky hand down her body until she felt a patch on her stomach. A bandage. Someone had tried to treat her wound.

"Ow ow ow ow," she whined, gritting her teeth as she tried to move, tried to assess her situation herself. If Lily had been the one to patch her up, she wasn't going to trust that the woman had done a good job. And Bonnie was not ready yet to die.

She wasn't.

This couldn't be happening.

Willing away some angry tears, she patted herself down, checking whether the bullet had made its way out. No exit wound. Crap. What if the bullet was still inside her? She'd have to check. Swallowing drily, she carefully took off the bandage on one side, with shaky fingers trailing her skin, feeling her way forward until she found the entrance wound and hissed.

She had to close her eyes for a moment, taking a few deep breaths in quick succession, steeling herself. "Okay," she cajoled herself, "okay. You can do this, Bonnie Bennett, you can do it…"

Before she had time to change her mind, she quickly poked one finger into the wound, trying to feel her way around. Her body was beginning to shake like crazy, her shoes making a grating knocking sound on the hardwood floor. She almost passed out, or maybe she did. Details were growing hazy.

But the good news was that she hadn't found a bullet, no stray shards. Though there was a lot of bleeding. Oh gosh, too much of her own blood. She wasn't squeamish at all, never had been, but this wasn't good.

She was still breathing too fast when she tried to look around, look for something she could use to see the bleeder. Scoffing, she almost broke into a crazy chuckle. She wasn't going to operate on herself, was she? It would never work.

Thinking to come up with a plan, she grabbed at the floor, trying to find something to hold onto so she could pull herself further toward a wall, could pull herself up. She needed to get out, needed to get help.

There. A loose floorboard. Slowly she made her way over there, yelling out in pain as she did.

This wasn't fair. It wasn't fair. She was all alone, no one there to help her. She couldn't do this.

What if her phone call hadn't gone through? No one would ever suspect she had been kidnapped. Oh gosh… Maybe they hadn't even noticed she was gone. A sob built up inside of her, more tears burning in her eyes, and this time, she couldn't stop them. She simply couldn't.

* * *

...

Calling the police hadn't helped much. Without any further information they couldn't act on what little information Damon could give them, although they did write a report. They had advised him to ask around, call her family, friends, coworkers, something else, too. But by then he had already stopped listening, trying to think of what he could do that would actually help.

If the police weren't willing to consider her missing, yet, Damon sure as hell was. And he wasn't going to just wait. He had been through enough crazy shit in his life to not believe this was serious.

Therefore he decided to investigate a little himself. When his hottest connection didn't pick up the damn phone even after he had tried it twenty times, he made it over to the stadium himself, arriving there well after the game had already ended. While the last stragglers were making their way out, he tried to make his way in, evading a couple of excited fans that had recognized him.

Normally, he'd have loved to bask in their attention for a bit, but now he couldn't care less, only wanted to get inside and check for traces of Bonnie. See whether Enzo was still there as he was wont to be. The idiot always hung around until well after everyone else had left.

"Salvatore! Dude, did you see the game? You see it? Yeah?" Marcel came walking toward him, all happy grins and alpha male moves, his hand falling on Damon's shoulder roughly as he reached his teammate, and Damon tried to grin and bear it.

"Yeah, absolutely," Damon said, trying to sound chipper, not sure if it was working. But Marcel didn't seem to mind.

"Coach is being relentless as usual and has us just go home, but the big bad wolf himself is actually sponsoring a drink in celebration. You should come. Everyone else is already on the way."

"Sounds lovely. I'll just…" Damon winked, pointing in the direction of the lockers. "Our favorite three-machine still in there?

Marcel gave a weird nod, his expression taking on a different air, and for some reason that only aided in Damon's overall nervousness.

"What?" he asked, frowning at his teammate, who shrugged as he began making his way past him.

"Kid just got a phone call, began acting all weird. Threw the last few of us out..."

"Huh."

"Yeah, huh. We're cutting him some slack because he saved our asses tonight, but dude really needs to rein in his temper or-"

Before he could continue, they heard a loud clanging sound from the locker room, exchanging a glance.

Marcel raised his eyebrows, ready to turn back. "We should probably check on him before he wrecks either the whole room or his damn hands. Coach would kill him."

"I got it," Damon quickly said, putting on his best winning grin.

"You sure? Sounds like maybe it's a two man job."

"Nah… shouldn't be a problem. Trust me."

Damon patted Marcel's shoulder with a winning grin, then waved at him before resuming his way, trying hard not to let it show just how worried he was.

"Okay. If you're sure."

"Yup. See you in a bit, Marcel," Damon chirped, not listening anymore as Marcel called after him. Already he was elsewhere, his focus on the locker room from where he could now hear loud banging.

* * *

…

Bonnie had barely made it into a sitting position, so exhausted that she needed to take a break, when the door to her room flew open, revealing… not Lily but a dark man she had never seen before.

With a grim expression he rushed over to her, kneeling down beside her. She tried to shove him away, to fight him, but he shook his head, speaking to her in a soothing voice.

"I'm here to help you," he said and she glared at him, her anger back. Her fear, too.

"Bring me to a hospital then. I'm… I'm bleeding too much."

Her gaze fell on the bag he was holding, her eyes widening. Medical supplies.

"I can take care of that," he now told her, arms held away from her and himself as if he wanted to show her he was no threat, but she couldn't trust him.

"You work with her. With Lily."

He made a face, sighing. "She is a friend. But I don't work for her. I'm trying to contain the mess she is making while I still can. I already extracted the bullet, but you need sutures. Please… let me help you."

She was shaking too much, the blood loss becoming worrying. Her mouth was too dry.

"I need a hospital."

He shook his head. "I have everything I need right here."

Scoffing, she pushed her hands against the cool floor, trying to stay conscious. "Oh yuh? You a doctor? Any blood on you you could share?"

"In fact, yes."

Her eyes widened, and this time when he came closer, she didn't shrink away, let him touch her, let him go about his work. Because she had no strength left.

"Well, me too," she hissed, "so you better make sure you're doing it right or I will notice."

"I should sedate you. The pain-"

"Fuck you! If you so much as go near me with a sedative I'll-" She stopped abruptly, because of course there was nothing she could do that would make him stop. He had the upper hand.

And still, she soon realized that he was indeed helping her, was sewing her back together. She tried to stifle a scream as he began to put the needle through her skin, tried so hard to stay strong under the glaring brightness of the flashlight he had hung above them, but eventually, she succumbed. It was too much.

When she opened her eyes again, it was thankfully over. Except… He had set everything up for a blood transfusion, giving her some of his own. When she grabbed his arm hard to stop him, he gently but firmly loosened her grip on him before he explained,

"Universal donor…"

Pressing her lips together, she glared some more at him, cursing this awful situation again. At least the man seemed to be a lot more reasonable than Lily...

"Why are you helping her?" Bonnie eventually dared ask just as he was getting up again, and she realized that part of her was terrified of him leaving her in this room again. "She's a horrible person. You seem… okay. So why are you helping her? Do you know the awful things she did?"

He stood tall now, looking down on her with a stoic expression before he draped a blanket over her.

"You know why she's doing this, right?" she asked when he remained quiet. "She wants to lure Enzo here, she… she's crazy. She might even kill him, and me…"

"She loves Lorenzo. She would never hurt him."

"She already did!"

Bonnie took it back. This guy wasn't okay after all. He was delusional just like Lily, or had been ensnared by her. It was no excuse. "She shot me!"

"It was an accident. She never meant for you to get hurt."

Scoffing, she winced when that small movement aggravated her injury. "You sure about that? She thinks I'm Enzo's girlfriend. That's why I'm here. She doesn't care whether I live. She doesn't even care whether _he_ lives, as long as she can have him to herself. Do you really want to be a part of this? Of the schemes of a crazy woman?"

"Lily has been through a lot. She is going to die soon."

"Soon can't come fucking soon enough!" Bonnie yelled, realizing she had begun to angry-cry. But her companion didn't seem to care. He had turned his back toward her now, and was opening the door.

"You can't leave me here."

"Don't worry. It'll be over soon. He's on his way and once he's here, I'll bring you to a nearby hospital." With that he exited the room, letting the door fall shut with a bang, turning a key in the lock, and Bonnie forgot to breathe for a moment.

Enzo was on his way?

Her heart did a weird jump in her chest as she cry-chuckled at the news. As if her mind didn't quite know how to treat this piece of information. With relief, or fear…

What the hell had she gotten herself into here? What the hell was Enzo getting himself into?

No, this couldn't be good.

* * *

…

Enzo had just gotten dressed again, had just packed his bag, when his phone had started ringing and for one fleeting moment he had stupidly thought it could be Bonnie.

But when he had picked it up, he hadn't recognized the number, had only seen that Damon, too, had apparently called at least 20 times. Following a sudden feeling of doom, he had picked up, waiting for just a second before her voice had rung through to him.

Lily.

He had closed his eyes, had moved to end the call when she had said Bonnie's name.

"I have your pretty girlfriend here. Bonnie, is it? Unfortunately she might need some medical attention…"

Just that, and of course he had stayed on the line.

"What the hell did you do?" he had asked, but when she hadn't continued, he had yelled at his few remaining teammates to leave him the bloody hell alone, and while they had understandably given him bewildered looks and even thrown some expletives his way, the men had eventually done as he had told them to.

"What did you do?" he had repeated, not even bothering to correct her on the girlfriend assumption. It didn't matter, certainly not to Lily, who had clearly already made up her mind, had already hurt Bonnie. That was when he had first banged his fist against one of the lockers, cursing loudly.

But she hadn't been done.

"I'll send you an address, Lorenzo. So you can come here and we can finally talk. - Do not call the police or anyone else, or she won't survive the night. I know you care about her so I'd rather not have to do this…"

He had wanted to say so many things, but instead he had listened. Because he had realized that this was not a time to let his anger show. This was not about just him anymore. Now Bonnie was involved, and she was hurt, and she needed him to come through for her. So he would. He couldn't lose her. Whatever she was or wasn't to him, he knew then that he couldn't be without her anymore.

.

Then Damon suddenly appeared in the doorway, and Enzo wasn't surprised in the least.

"Enzo, my friend. I think we need to talk. _Now_," Damon hissed through gritted teeth, eyeing the by now broken phone on the floor, the turned over benches, and Enzo's bleeding knuckles. But all Enzo could do was shake his head and storm toward the door Damon had just come through.

"Not a good time," he snarled, growling when Damon stopped him with both hands pushing against his chest before he grabbed Enzo's arm.

"Now is the perfect time. What the hell is going on here? I just got a strange call from Bon, but she never said a word. Sounded like a shot was fired, too, and needless to say, I'm a teeny tiny bit freaked out. I've come to appreciate our lovable little med girl a lot during the last few months and now she seems to either prank call me on level expert, or something seriously bad has happened."

Enzo's blood had run cold at the mention of a shot and he tried pushing past Damon again, but his friend stared him down, placing his cast right in front of him like a barrier.

"Now I see _you _redecorated our locker room in this rather… fashionable way and call me crazy but it leads me to believe these two things are somehow connected."

"Damon, I swear if you don't move I don't care if I'll have to break your leg again-"

"Easy, pal. I'm on your side, remember? So, care to explain while we walk? Just don't run out on me."

"Lily," Enzo gritted out, pushing Damon off of him finally. His friend's expression darkened as he shook his head.

"Oh no, aw crap, she didn't."

"She bloody kidnapped her, Damon. Bonnie! She said she's hurt. I need to go and get her."

"Lorenzo, we should probably let the cops know about this-"

Enzo was at his throat in seconds, his face not an inch from Damon's, and the Salvatore had to hit his arms hard to make him stop.

"She's going to kill her if you do!" Enzo shouted, having reached a dangerous level of anger.

"Okay, okay. We'll… not call them then. Good? What do we do, though? We can't just go over there without some kind of plan. Lily is too cunning for that. She probably has a whole trap set up to keep you locked up forever or something crazy like that."

Enzo pressed a palm against his forehead, scrunching his face up as he was trying to think. "We don't have time for this, Damon," he bit out. "But do whatever you want, I'll get on my way to meet your bloody mother."

He could feel Damon's need for a retort, could almost already hear it. He would find issue in the word "mother" for sure, would come up with a name like "old hag" or possibly worse, but then Damon hissed in air in between his teeth and just nodded instead.

"I'm coming with you," he then said and Enzo shot him a glare.

"You'll slow me down."

"I guess I'll just have to try and be fast then. But you are not going alone. Not to face the crazy bitch…"

They exchanged another glance as Enzo weighed his options.

"I'm not waiting for you. If you can make it, terrific. If not..." He shrugged and Damon nodded, understanding.

"Let's go."

* * *

…

Caroline felt exhilarated. The night so far had been fantastic. Klaus had taken her to the game like promised, picking her up at her place, even going so far as to wrap an arm around her on their way to the stadium.

Then, once they had been there, he had been a true gentleman, introducing her to his family. Okay, so maybe he hadn't called her anything other than Caroline Forbes - not a friend, certainly not a girlfriend, but what had she expected? This was basically only the second time they hung out together.

And she liked to consider it a good sign that he hadn't been afraid of being seen with her in public.

Now they were on their way to his place, where he had invited the team over for an hour or two of celebrating their exceptional performance, and she kept checking her phone, waiting for a reply from Bonnie that didn't ever seem to come.

Huffing, she sank into her seat and Klaus eyed her with a deep frown.

"Is everything alright, Caroline?" he asked, drawing her name out in a manner that made her go crazy. Licking her lips, she smiled at him.

"Yes," she breathed and he cocked his head, clearly not satisfied with her evasive answer. "Okay, fine. I'm a little worried about my friend Bonnie. She works on your medical team?"

Recognition flooded his features. "Of course, the little witch who used her magic to get Lorenzo in shape for today. Remind me to thank her later."

Chuckling despite herself as she imagined how Bonnie would react to being called a witch, Caroline eventually nodded before continuing.

"I haven't seen her since before the fourth quarter," she admitted. "I thought she was on her way up to us and then she never made it there. And now she isn't answering her phone. It's just not like her to disappear like that."

She was almost taken aback by Klaus' sudden interest. He had leaned over more, making her look at him with a hand to her chin. His eyes seemed even more impenetrable than usual. _Uh oh,_ she thought, hoping she hadn't gotten her best friend in trouble somehow.

"Um…" she stammered, "please don't give her trouble for this, I know that she never meant to-"

"You said you saw her before the fourth."

A mound appeared between Caroline's eyebrows as she scrunched up her face in growing confusion. What was Klaus seeing that she did not?

"Yes. She-"

"Was there anyone with her?"

"Uh…" Caroline tried to think, tried to remember. She had been pretty preoccupied, had only seen Bonnie make her way up briefly before Rebekah had engaged her in a conversation about some antique cabinets at her home, and the next time she had looked, there was no trace of her best friend anywhere anymore.

No, wait.

"I think she was talking to someone, but I didn't see their face. A woman, though, very dark hair, a really pretty dark green…" She trailed off, her eyes widening as she stared at Klaus, seeing that he had come to the same realization. Covering her mouth with one hand in shock, she grabbed his coat lapel with her other. "Oh my gosh," she said.

"Lily Salvatore."

"We gotta find Bonnie!"


	15. Wicked witch of the west

_Jade: lol, yeah, Lily is certainly cray-cray in this story. Sorry for anyone who might like her on the show… _

_This chapter has put up a major struggle. Geez. I'm hoping I got it into a decent enough shape. There's some scenes coming up here that I was really really struggling with. _

_It's often so much smoother and easier in my head. lol. I wish I was better at writing it all down._

_But here goes._

* * *

…

Damon's leg was screaming. Hoping he hadn't done any more damage to it, he rubbed it right above the cast, trying to alleviate the pain a bit.

He shot Enzo a sideways glance as the kid sped through the city in his classic Mercedes, going so fast that the lights were a blur and the police probably on their heels soon.

Which would not help matters, thanks to Lily's warning...

"If you manage to drive us into a wall along the way, it won't help Bonnie, Lorenzo. So why don't you slow down a bit."

His friend shot him a death glare if ever there had been one and despite the situation, Damon had to grin briefly. It was funny how in denial these kids were. Bonnie and Enzo and that thing they were having? It was so blatantly obvious that it was a miracle they hadn't realized it themselves.

"You know she likes you, too, right?" he said, earning himself another glare as Enzo seemed to speed up even more as if to spite him. But Damon didn't care. "It's relationship 101," he continued, "The way you dance around each other…"

"Damon, I swear. If you don't-"

"Uh uh uh uh uh. Don't tell me to shut up again. But okay, I will stop. If only until we have Bonnie back."

He beamed at Enzo, but the kid was ignoring him now, continuing on his way toward the outskirts of the city. Toward the worst parts of town…

"So, care to share the location of our destination? - No? Fine, I'll just sit here and wait then…" Damon clenched his teeth, feeling uneasy. He didn't like this whole thing. Bonnie's disappearance, Lily's involvement, Enzo's rather frightening aggressive detached behavior, it all was beginning to have an effect on him and it was getting harder to pretend all was well. Which of course was his coping mechanism, so if it didn't work, things were really not very good.

What he would have given for a nice stiff drink right about now.

A sudden vibrating feeling in his pocket made him aware of his phone, and pulling it out, he stared at it, at the name appearing on the display. With a sigh, he decided to answer despite the daggers Enzo was staring at him.

"If it isn't the big bad wolf himself; what a pleasure."

"Hang up," Enzo hissed, swerving as he grabbed for Damon's phone but Damon pulled away, holding up a hand to stop him.

"Damon, I have Caroline with me," Klaus said on the other end, foregoing a greeting. His voice sounded like he was holding back an anger of his own.

"Good for you?"

"_Bonnie_ _Bennett's_ friend," Klaus amended, and Damon made a face as he realized that the Hybrids' owner already knew something was up.

"Right," he said, "Let me guess, Caroline also noticed that dear BonBon has gone AWOL."

"So you haven't seen her, either?"

"Nope. But shouldn't you be at your quaint little mansion, celebrating a win with our team?"

"Damon, I believe your mother is involved in Ms. Bennett's disappearance and-"

"Yup," Damon interrupted him quickly, shooting a livid looking Enzo another glance. His friend had thankfully slowed the car down some, and Damon had the feeling they were getting closer to where Lily was waiting for them. "Funny you should mention it," he casually informed him, "we're just on our way to meet her."

"We?"

Damon didn't answer that, but his pause clued Klaus in on what that could only mean and the man clicked his tongue.

"You keep him out of trouble, Salvatore! Let-"

"-the police handle it? Yeah, not gonna happen. Bonnie wouldn't survive it. And I don't doubt the crazy old hag meant what she said. No police or Bonnie dies…"

"Let me handle it, then. Give me an address."

Damon stared at Enzo, at the way his friend clutched the steering wheel so hard his bruised knuckles were white under the blood.

"We're in Central C-"

Abruptly, Damon's phone went flying as something crashed into them from behind. He looked over his shoulder, exchanging a worried glance with Enzo who had just checked the rearview mirror.

"Who the hell is that?" Damon asked, turning to stare at the black SUV that had appeared behind them, noting that its lights were not on. "I'm beginning to feel like we're part of a rather cheesy crime movie…"

Another crash, and he watched Enzo grip the steering wheel even harder if that was possible.

"You might want to try and get out of this guy's way?" Damon suggested, sounding way calmer than he was, and Enzo glared at him like he had lost his mind.

"What do you think I'm doing?!"

"I don't know, but it clearly displeases that dude behind us. Unless…"

Unless this was an acquaintance of Lily's, out to get them… Though didn't she want Enzo alive?

Before he had time to think about it more or tell Enzo about it, another crash, then another in quick succession made the car swerve so dangerously that he could only stare on in shock as Enzo lost control of the vehicle, trying his hardest to rein the aberrant movements back in, but failing.

"Fuck," it escaped him just as the car raced off the road, his eyes widening. Enzo was desperately trying to break as an old building came up right in front of them. Closer and closer it came, until... they went crashing straight into it and Damon's head collided roughly with the glove compartment.

* * *

…

Groaning, Enzo turned his head, grimacing as the movement made all sorts of pain register with him. His head and chest had connected with the steering wheel, and when he lifted a hand to check the damage, his fingers came away sticky.

Fantastic.

Whoever the hell that other driver was, he better not still be out there.

Shaking himself out of a shocked stupor, he turned toward Damon, his friend's head dangling forward, a large gash on his forehead bleeding profusely. When Enzo quickly checked for signs of life, he was relieved to find Damon breathing normally, even starting to moan out in pain. He turned toward his backseat, grabbing the bag he had tossed in there earlier and rummaged for a towel to press against his friend's head. When he did that, Damon began to stir more.

"Lorenzo," he muttered, "you really need to work on your driving a bit. Maybe you got confused because you're under a bit of stress right now, so I'll kindly remind you that we drive on the right side here in the US, okay? Yeah?"

Enzo made a face, scoffing. At least Damon's sense of "humor" was still intact. Which meant he was okay, and Enzo could...

"I'll have to go," he said, barely paying attention anymore as Damon beside him tried to adjust his position, tried to unbuckle himself.

"Enzo, wait. You can't go alone."

He shook his head, clenching his jaw. "I have to find her, Damon. If these days Lily is surrounding herself with people that are ready to run cars off the road, Bonnie is in more danger than I thought."

Opening the door, he made his way out, looking around cautiously, checking for any sign of that black car. But the area seemed to be completely deserted, as if no one else had ever been there. Just rows and rows of houses, all in similar stages of decay, the one they had crashed into just one ramshackle building smackdab in the middle of many more like it.

"Really?" Damon said, jolting him back. "Coz, frankly, I already knew that before this lovely experience here. Lily is dangerous all by herself. You know that best of all. Come on, help me get out."

"I can't, Damon. I'm sorry. I'll be back for you later."

With that he jogged off, trying to remember the address Lily had given him. It couldn't be far. Before the crash they had already made it to the right neighborhood. Bonnie would be here somewhere. He just had to hurry.

* * *

…

Bonnie was listening into the darkness. The pitter-patter of water was filtering in from a pipe in the walls, low murmurs coming from somewhere behind the door. Whether it was Lily and her doctor friend she couldn't quite make out, however.

At least she was feeling a tiny bit better, the transfusion having helped more than she cared to admit. Lily's friend was not as bad as she liked to think, even though being friends with that woman in the first place certainly wasn't a good testament to his character.

Bonnie needed to get out of this place. Maybe she wouldn't die from the gunshot wound now, but if she stayed much longer, she'd probably catch pneumonia in this damp and moldy place and then she'd be in even more trouble. Angrily, she shook her head. No, she was not going to die here. She still had fight left in her and she wasn't just going to sit around and watch and listen as Enzo ran into whatever cruel spider's web Lily had built to trap him in.

She had just begun to lift her upper body up against the wall so she could sit, could try and reach the keyhole and maybe peek through, when a banging noise reached her ears, soon followed by someone's increasingly angry yells to open up.

Enzo.

A hot-cold shiver ran down her spine, her cheeks flushing as a new panic took ahold of her. What if things escalated now that he was here? Things hadn't gone so well last time he had had to face Lily and toward the end there Bonnie had started to realize that Enzo had so much pent up anger and hatred and pain in him that Lily was truly lucky he hadn't killed her there and then.

What if he killed her this time? Or worse, what if that ominous friend of Lily's - the one that had been supposed to shoot Enzo back at the stadium - was still on his heels, ready to strike the final blow?

Her chest tightened at the thought. She couldn't let that happen, she couldn't let him deal alone with that crazy woman. But how the hell was she going to get out of this awful dark room when she had nothing but her bare hands to help her? Ugh!

No, wait, that wasn't true…

She forced herself to calm down, to not aggravate her injury either - because she wouldn't be of help to anyone if she ripped her stitches and bled out after all. With her stained hands, she slowly but surely began to move to unbuckle the skinny belt she was wearing, trying her damndest to not make a noise. Then she pulled, clutching the clangy metal parts in her fist, and finally she held it in her hands, looking it over. Maybe she could use the belt hook to unlock the door, then surprise an unsuspecting Lily with an attack from behind...

If only she could sit up a little more. Gritting her teeth, breathing quickly in and out, she hoisted herself up a little further, doing her best to stifle a yelp of pain. Gosh, it hurt so bad.

Thankfully, the voices outside were so loud now that she doubted anyone could hear her. Still, she had to be quick. She had just inserted the hook and begun to work on the lock, when she heard Enzo's voice way too close, right on the other side of that door, and she involuntarily fanned out her hand to press it against the wood.

"Where is she?" he hissed, and something in his tone made it rather obvious that he must have asked this question quite a few times already. "What the hell did you do to her?!"

"Lorenzo, please. I'll let her go now that you are here, just like I promised. You know you can trust my word. But you'll have to stay. _You_ made a promise, too..."

No. No no no no no. Bonnie could see where this was going. Even though she had known Enzo for only a few months, she was certain he'd listen to that woman again, he'd let her force him into doing something he didn't want to do, if this time only in order to save Bonnie.

She couldn't let that happen.

Changing plans as the lock wouldn't budge, she therefore decided to call out to him, banging against the door. She needed him to not listen to Lily, needed him to get her out.

"Enzo?! Enzo!"

"Bonnie?"

"In here!" she hollered, tears welling again as she began crying despite herself. "In here! Get me out please, get me-"

The door flew open so abruptly that she half fell straight against him, and she began sobbing for real as he kneeled down to catch her, and she could wrap her arms around him, clutching his shirt in an iron grip.

"Don't listen to her, okay?" she choked out, "You don't have to stay with her, we'll make it out of here together somehow." She was shaking, in shock.

"Bonnie," he whispered, his warm soothing breath at the crown of her head as he breathed her in and she him, and it finally got her to calm down a bit. He was here…

But they weren't out of danger. As if to prove her point, she could hear Lily's soft voice again.

"You're free to go, Ms. Bennett. But he stays here."

She was about to retort, but Enzo's hand was at the nape of her neck and he looked at her with such concern that she could only focus on him for a moment.

"Are you alright, love?"

"I'm…"

"You're hurt." His worried frown was adorable and would have melted her heart under different circumstances. But now she was in pain and still panicked, and "melted hearts" would have to wait till another time. She had to pull herself together.

"She's not working alone," Bonnie suddenly remembered, her hand coming up to fist his shirt above his heart. "Someone was at the stadium, ready to shoot you!" she blurted, her eyes now adjusted to the brighter light out there enough to see an upset looking Lily standing behind Enzo, hugging herself.

"Oh that… Julian. He was my failsafe," Lily said, sounding strangely vacant all of a sudden, a look of stark disappointed realization on her features as she stared at Bonnie and Enzo together. "You don't need to worry about him now…"

"Someone almost ran us off the road," Enzo gritted out, glaring at Lily as he carefully picked Bonnie up, "You sure there's nothing to worry about anymore?"

"Us?" she asked, wary now, her frown deepening, and Enzo raised his chin, looking at her with a sneer.

"Your oldest son and I," he explained, and Lily's eyes widened at his words.

"Damon came with you? Is he…"

"He's alive. Pretty nasty gash on his forehead, though."

"Oh." Lily looked pained. Stumbling, she steadied herself against the backrest of a large sofa chair. "I never meant for people to get hurt…" Her expression had changed yet again, lost now, desperate. But while Bonnie had a brief erratic moment of something almost close to sympathy, Enzo merely stared her down, his body tense, his whole stance defiant as he kept Bonnie pressed close to him.

"Well, too bad, because that's all you ever do."

"You can't mean that, Lorenzo. We had good times, too, didn't we?"

A scoff was the only reply she got, and Bonnie found herself gently tapping Enzo's chest, needing him to snap out of whatever horrors this woman currently made him relive.

"I was there for you," Lily whispered, "After your parents… that tragic, tragic accident. But I was there for you, I picked you up, I made you whole again. I… it wasn't always bad. Or wrong. You can't honestly believe that."

Enzo had closed his eyes for a moment, worrying Bonnie. Then, when he opened them again, that darkness was back in them, and he raised his chin, staring hard at Lily.

"I do," he said, nothing more, his tone so hard that it made Bonnie press her lips together with a pang. She watched the scene, feeling angry and upset for him, for herself, and she wanted that woman to pay.

"Leave him alone," she therefore blurted before Lily had a chance to say anything else. Bonnie vaguely realized that she was clinging to Enzo way too fiercely, but she couldn't stop. "Let him go with me," she continued, "He's not your toy to play with. - And neither am I. You'll pay for this. I swear to all the powers above. This time you won't get off scot-free."

"Bonnie…"

She licked her lips, trying to smile as Enzo tugged at her gently to get her attention. He was shaking his head at her now, and she nodded an okay.

The pain in her side was beginning to make her feel faint.

"We need to get you to a hospital, love," Enzo muttered, just as Lily spoke over him.

"You said you'd stay."

Bonnie rolled her eyes, exasperated. "You can't fucking make him! Don't you get it? The reason he hates you so much is because you never left him a choice! Don't make the same mistake again." She shook her head, not understanding why she was even bothering.

But Lily tilted her head, giving a long sigh. "You're right," she said, surprising both Bonnie and Enzo, then she abruptly pulled out her gun again and smiled at Enzo wanly as she pointed it at Bonnie.

Quickly, he shoved her behind his back, where she had to steady herself by clutching his arm. She couldn't see Lily, but heard her all too clearly.

"You found yourself a smart one," she said, lowering the pistol, using it to gesture. "That's good. Maybe she can put back together what I destroyed. Maybe… I really don't understand how we could go so wrong…"

"Lily." Enzo was exchanging a quick glance with Bonnie, his expression raw and pained and… worried. Carefully, he then helped her to a nearby couch, and while she knew why he was doing it, why he was letting go of her, she wanted to stop him. But she didn't. Because he needed to do this, and she understood that, too.

With outstretched arms he began walking toward Damon's mother next, slow calculated steps that Lily eyed warily, shaking her head.

"She's right, you know?" Lily continued, her smile still in place, as wan as before if not more so. "I need to let you go…"

"Put the gun down, Lily."

She shook her head. "Please, will you do one last thing for me?" Raising the pistol up to her own head now, she stared at Enzo as if waiting for a reply.

"Don't."

Bonnie felt her chest tighten as she realized what Lily was about to do.

"Don't do this to him!" she yelled, "Don't make him watch this. For once think of someone other than yourself first."

But it was as if she hadn't said a thing. Lily ignored her, focusing solely on Enzo now.

"Tell Stefan and Damon I'm sorry I ruined it all? That I love them?

"Don't." Enzo's voice sounded choked, and Lily chuckled softly, tears beginning to run down her cheeks as she stretched out a hand to caress his arm briefly before he violently pulled away. There was pained regret in her look at his reaction. "I have no choice. I am sorry, Lorenzo. For what I did to you. For ruining you. I'm… please try to understand. You were… everything to me. I never meant for you to get so hurt. But it will stop now."

"Lily!"

A loud shot cut through the air just as Enzo lunged forward, and Bonnie yelled his name, a sudden panic making her jump up despite her injury and she tried to rush toward him, hissing out in pain.

* * *

...

Enzo blinked, freezing, and he couldn't really breathe.

Her face was gone.

"Enzo."

Had she really just done that? Shot herself? Had he let it happen because deep down he had wanted her dead for so long?

"Enzo?"

As Bonnie's soft hands came up to touch his face, he frowned down at her, short bursts of air making him light-headed.

"Bonnie…" His gaze wandered over to Lily again, but the woman before him quickly cupped his cheek and forced him to look away.

"Look at _me_. Don't look over there."

He opened his mouth, trying to say something, but his brain wasn't quite complying. Neither were his lungs.

And there was so much blood. Bonnie's entire shirt was soaked. He extended an arm, gently grazing the red stain as his worry for her grew even more.

"We really need to get you… to a hospital…"

She stared up at him, her weight beginning to rest more and more on him, and she nodded. "Okay," she breathed, "Yeah… - And _you_ need to breathe with me, can you do that?"

He scrunched up his face, too many things, too many responsibilities whirling around in his mind. Damon was still out there, injured, Bonnie in here, bleeding badly, and Lily…

Lily was dead. And he had no bloody clue how he was supposed to be feeling about that.

Seconds or maybe minutes passed by and he finally snapped out of it when Bonnie slapped his chest, hard.

"Enzo! You _need_ to use this."

He stared at the inhaler in her hand, wondering briefly where she had gotten that from before he finally did as she had told him, coughing as he tried to breathe in deeper than his body would allow.

"I'm sorry," he muttered, averting his gaze as he began helping her walk past the body on the floor and toward the door. He was such a useless mess. Lily had called him ruined...

"It's not your fault."

"You got hurt because of me. Lily kidnapped you because-".

"-because she had serious issues. Enzo, you are not to blame for this. Okay? Now, can we please just leave this awful place and get Damon and get the hell out of here?"

She chuckled, a sound that made him smile despite everything that had happened, until he watched her expression abruptly change.

A deep frown was wrinkling the root of her nose, and her grip on him tightened.

"Bonnie, what is it?"

* * *

...

Puzzle pieces seemed to be rearranging themselves in Bonnie's head, and suddenly she realized with a shock that Lily's doctor friend - the man who had treated her and who should have been here somewhere - had been nowhere to be seen through all of this. He should have still been here.

"Where is he?" she asked, her tone urgent, and Enzo's confused frown reminded her that he had no clue what she was talking about. He didn't even know about the man.

"Who?"

"There was someone else here earlier," she explained, clinging to his shirt as she did, trying to ignore the pain. "He's a… a doctor; he patched me up. He should be here somewhere. And…" Oh gosh…

She tugged at him hard as a shadow fell through the doorway, and Enzo turned around swiftly, pulling her behind him as he did.

A man stood before them, holding Damon in a chokehold, a gun pressed to the side of his head.

"You killed her," he said with a curious frown. "You killed my Lily."

Bonnie felt her heart thud as she peeked out from behind Enzo's back. She had never seen the man before.

"That him? The doctor?" Enzo muttered, and when she whispered back a "No," he was already nodding as if he had known it all along.

This was bad. It should have been over, Lily was dead after all, but like she had said earlier, the woman hadn't operated completely alone this time. Bonnie suddenly remembered the woman's words from earlier, at the stadium. That if she were to die, she'd want to be reunited with Enzo in death.

Swallowing around a huge lump in her throat, Bonnie tried to think of a way out, but her mind was completely blanking.

"Sorry, guys," Damon was choking out, grimacing at them as he held on to the other man's arm in an attempt to loosen his grip. "He came out of nowhere…" Then his gaze fell on his mother on the ground and Bonnie's heart broke for him at the flicker of pain washing over his features before he seemed to collect himself, actively forcing a grin on his face. "At least the wicked witch of the west is gone for good this time, huh?"

He chuckled until the stranger tightened his grip on him yet again, digging his weapon into Damon's scalp.

"Easy, there," he said, but Lily's friend wasn't listening.

"You, come with me," the man gritted out, nodding over to Enzo, "or your friend is dead."

"Lily wouldn't have wanted that," Enzo said, still holding onto Bonnie behind him. "He's her son, she-"

"She's dead. She doesn't care anymore."

"So why are you doing this? Let us go," Bonnie tried to reason, but not surprisingly the man didn't grace her with a reply.

"Get over here," he hissed, abruptly shooting a bullet into the ground right before them and Bonnie yelped in panic, tightening her grip on Enzo, who had cocked his head, suddenly looking rather angry, before he took a few dangerous steps forward.

"Lorenzo, stay away," Damon piped up, glancing at his friend, then Bonnie, "BonBon, keep an eye on homeboy for me, will you?"

"Shut up," the man ordered angrily, his attention briefly focused solely on Damon, and she walked up to grab Enzo's arm, gritting her teeth against the awful pain. Something in Damon's tone had been like a warning, and when she exchanged a glance with him now, she saw him mouth an urgent "Go."

Damon knew, too. About Lily's final "failsafe" as she had called it. Sure enough, he put on that grin again and said, "Julian here told me that my dear mother had this rather Romeo and Juliet like notion of lovers united in death, and he wants to help her achieve that goal. Looks like she already took care of part one…"

"I said shut up," the man - Julian - told Damon again, his movements shaky with anger, but of course Damon was unfazed.

"What is it with everyone always telling me that?" he asked conversationally, and Enzo smirked at him.

"Should make you think, mate."

"Eh…" Damon rolled his eyes theatrically, and Bonnie could barely believe how he and Enzo suddenly seemed so cool. Was she missing something here?

Urgently, she tugged at Enzo, needing him to get out of there with her and come up with a way to save Damon, too, needing this all to just stop.

Then abruptly, all hell broke loose.

In an almost tango-like move, he picked her up so quickly she felt like a blur. Slinging her arms around his neck, she hung on as he carried her bridal style right past a completely startled Julian out the door, the shot he fired getting lost in the night air.

"Stay here," he told her as soon as he laid her down behind a large tree to the side of the entrance, his dark gaze imploring her to heed his words as he cupped her face.

"Don't go in there," she pleaded, knowing that he wouldn't listen.

"I'll be back for you, love," he said, suddenly sounding so sure of himself, so different than just minutes before and it gave her half a hope that she could actually believe him.

"You better," she told him, acutely aware of his thumbs so close to her lips, his broad hands holding her face. But then she was completely taken by surprise when he abruptly kissed her, a fierce kiss, too short, but long enough to set her heart aflutter. Before she could even quite reciprocate the gesture, however, he was already on his way back.

Back to help his friend.

And Bonnie's fluttery heart threatened to give out on her.

...


	16. Hospital

_Jade: thank you! I'm so happy this worked for you. Weaving it all together really was quite the struggle. lol. Hoping it works in this chapter, too…_

* * *

_..._

Damon was fighting, fighting for his damn life. He had managed to punch Julian's weapon away from him with a well aimed move, but the man was still holding him in a death grip, slowly but surely choking him.

At least Enzo and Bon had made it out okay, and he figured that was some consolation.

He tried pirouetting, hoping to get Julian closer to the wall and further away from the door so he could maybe crush him into the hard concrete, but it was not exactly easy going and Damon was quickly losing steam.

How did Enzo even do this? Survive those asthma attacks that robbed him of the ability to properly breathe? Damon was already feeling rather panicky and faint and it had barely been a minute with depleted oxygen levels.

He just really needed to…

… breathe.

Abruptly, he found himself lying on the floor as Julian had let go of him, and he took a few heaving breaths, trying to collect himself, to understand what had happened. Then he saw Lorenzo's shoes, legs… Looking further up, he saw his friend stare down at him, a large piece of scrap metal in one hand, offering him the other, and Damon shook his head as he pieced it all together.

"What exactly is it you think you're doing, you idiot? You're supposed to get BonBon out of here, not play knight in shining armor to my damsel in distress. Don't you know what it does to a guy, being helped up like that by a supposed friend? It's called a blow to the ego. - Which I'm guessing you dealt dear Julian here too."

"'Thanks for saving me, Enzo.' 'You're welcome, Damon,'" Enzo intoned with a roll of his eyes, and grudgingly, Damon finally took the offered hand, allowing his friend to pull him up.

His gaze fell on Julian again, who was on the ground, sporting a nice bloody gash at the back of his head, but when he bent down to check the guy's vitals, the man suddenly shot up, bringing Damon to a fall, then focusing on Enzo.

"Aw, crap," Damon made, struggling up again in time to see the two men start engaging in a new fight, their stances reminiscent of a duel, perhaps. Half crouched, gauging each other, they were biding their time, dancing around each other, Enzo with his stupid metal piece, Julian with what looked to be a knife, and where the hell he had gotten that from, Damon had no idea.

He raised his arms, grinning at them both. "Come on, guys. Really? Are we doing this now?"

He had to try to keep Julian distracted and give Enzo a chance to catch his damn wheezy breath; give himself time to find something so he could hit their opponent over the head.

But just when he thought he had found something, an old lamp on a windowsill, they all heard the sound of cars approaching rather fast outside. A couple of them, and certainly not cops…

Damon froze, looking up to exchange a glance with Enzo, just as Julian lunged forward with his knife.

* * *

…

Bonnie couldn't stand the tension. She had tried counting the seconds to calm herself, a trick her grams had once taught her and that was supposed to help show that time was indeed often much shorter than it seemed. And while it was true - not many minutes had passed since Enzo had left her out here, she was growing restless.

She made up her mind. Screwing caution, she slowly pulled herself up against the tree, ready to try and walk over to the house again, when a wave of dizziness and nausea stopped her in her tracks. She almost fell back, barely catching herself. As she then lowered herself back to the ground, the doctor from before peeled himself out of the nightly shadows like a damn apparition, and she wanted to shrink away, staring at him angrily.

"Don't come any closer. I'm not alone anymore," she said, half bluffing, but the man had raised his arms again, the whites of his eyes almost the only thing visible now.

"I'm here to get you to a hospital, Bonnie."

She scoffed. "You… I don't even know your name and you have the audacity to call me by mine, pretending you're here to help me? - Did you realize she's dead? Lily? Were you there? Hiding like a coward? Huh?"

Shaking his head, he kept his distance. "Beau," he said, making her give him a puzzled look, and he amended, "My name. Beau. And no, I was not hiding. I was out to get some medication for you."

"How convenient."

She saw his brow furrow into a displeased frown. "It's the truth. I _am_ here to help…" He paused briefly, looking around nervously. "I saw Julian's car," he told her, "I should get you away from here before he finds you. He's… got a temper and I'm afraid he might kill you."

"I'm not leaving without Enzo."

"I doubt he's still alive. Not with Julian here. Please, Ms. Bennett."

She glared at him with barely contained anger, ready to yell at him to go do something and help Enzo instead of just standing around, when they both suddenly heard the sound of screeching tires before they saw a couple of cars racing toward them.

Blinking, Bonnie raised a hand to shield her eyes, gasping softly when she saw none other than Klaus Mikaelson and her best friend Caroline get out of the first car, running toward her.

"Bonnie?!" Caroline choked out as soon as she fell onto her knees in the grass beside her, hugging her close. But there was no time, no time for questions, for anything other than…

"Caroline, they're still inside," Bonnie said urgently, looking from her friend to Klaus, "this man, this Julian is threatening to kill them."

Klaus jerked his head in a nod, his expression grim, then he motioned for a group of men that had caught up with them to go inside.

"Take care of it. Get Enzo and Damon out. _Alive_, please."

Bonnie's wide eyed stare suddenly made him smile at her, and for a moment he looked almost kind.

"Don't worry, Ms. Bennett," he told her, "I'm here to handle this now."

* * *

...

Enzo didn't even know the bastard, this Julian, but something about him rubbed him the wrong way and it had everything to do with the fact that the man had been so willing to point a gun at Bonnie, then threatened to kill Damon and "reunite" Enzo with the woman of his nightmares.

The man was clearly a bloody maniac.

So now he was standing opposite him, trying to evade all his way too fancy moves, and he could still feel the sting of the too sharp blade where it had grazed his side, right across his ribs.

But he was fast too, could play this game, and he wasn't going to let that man-

A shot rang out, making him blink, making his heart skip a beat as a deja-vu-like feeling took ahold of him for a moment as Julian fell away, a large hole in his head, not unlike the one in Lily's.

His body tense, he exchanged a glance with Damon, who looked as shell shocked as he felt, then he turned toward the door, where Nik was suddenly standing, with him a group of rather unkempt looking types. Enzo frowned, trying to comprehend. Nik had a talent of always making a deus ex machina appearance in his life, it seemed.

"Enzo," the man now said, coming closer, and when he had reached Enzo, he grabbed him by the shoulder and neck to look him in the eyes. "I want you to go out there and not look back. Take your girl and bring her to the hospital, I'll have one of my men take you there. And… get that breathing under control." Nik paused, tilting his head to take Enzo in. With a sigh he continued, "I'll give you some days off after this mess, but I expect you back at practice soon. Until then, get checked, and get some rest."

Enzo stared at him, dazed, unable to move.

"Klaus! And not a minute too late." A beaming Damon hobbled over as best as his broken leg allowed, opening his arms as if he was going to hug Nik, who merely shot him a bemused look.

"Damon… do me a favor, accompany him and his girl to the hospital. He needs to be checked, too." Nik looked past Enzo straight at Damon, making a face. "Make sure someone takes a look at you, too."

"His girl! - Aah, see Lorenzo? Told you it's obvious what's going on between you and Bon. If even Klaus picked up on it..."

Enzo scoffed, shaking his head to snap himself out of it. Running his hand over his face wearily, he pulled away from Nik, evading Damon, who was nudging him to make him go. As he did his gaze fell on the bodies on the ground again, his jaw clenching as he froze in his tracks. He didn't want to be here anymore, didn't want to see this, didn't want anything to do with it.

All he wanted now was to be able to take just one bloody decent breath and… be with her. With Bonnie. Make sure she was going to be alright.

And yet he could barely make himself move.

Nik grabbed Enzo's arm then, his stare more sympathetic than before. "Go. I'll clean this up," he said and Enzo didn't want to know what exactly that even meant.

With a small nod he just finally walked past Nik, past Damon, leaving the house, the bodies, everything.

"I'd say I'm sorry about your mother," he heard Nik say behind him, then Damon's defeated sounding reply.

"Yeah... But then we both know this is cause for celebration, don't we?"

"Damon…"

"Anyways, I should get going. With this ball and chain around my leg it'll take me a while to catch up with our hospital phobic and his lady friend…"

Enzo didn't hear the rest, didn't care either. He was finally out, the air so much cooler here, and his gaze soon locked on hers…

"Bonnie…"

* * *

…

"Oh my gosh, I'm so _sorry_!" Caroline's eyes were swimming as she was holding Bonnie in a hug, her friend eventually gently but insistently pushing her off of her.

"I'm fine, Care, really."

"You're not, though! You got shot! You're… full of blood. Oh my gosh, if I hadn't been so preoccupied following my darn carnal desires… ugh…" She hid her face behind her hands, peeking out again when Bonnie started laughing.

"Ow," Bonnie made, holding her side, "don't make me laugh, it hurts too much."

"It wasn't meant to make you laugh. Bonnie… I feel so awful."

"It's really okay, Care. How were you supposed to know that Lily would be at the game to try and kidnap me?"

"I don't know, friend instinct? I should have at least realized that you were on your way to me and never made it. This could have-"

"Care!" Bonnie looked exasperated. "Stop, okay? Blaming yourself won't change anything. And who knows, maybe your 'thing' with Klaus prevented worse. He'd have never realized something was going on if you hadn't been with him."

Huh. Care tilted her head, contemplating the thought. Maybe Bonnie had a point - even though she knew her best friend was most likely just trying to be nice. Smiling, she wanted to say something else when both she and Bonnie looked up to see Enzo walking toward them, his gaze locked on her best friend.

There was something in his expression that made Caroline bite her lip and look away, look curiously at Bonnie beside her instead. The girl stared up at this guy with such hopeless love and abandon that Caroline had to smile to herself. Maybe there was at least something good coming from all this, she thought now, as Enzo's lost expression slowly changed, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

Caroline placed a soft kiss on her friend's cheek, then got up. "I'll go see what's keeping them," she said, pointing to where the car was parked that was supposed to bring Bonnie to a hospital, then she walked away, backwards for part of it so she could see Enzo kneel down by Bonnie's side, his one hand stroking her hair out of her face, his other… intertwining with Bonnie's.

Then Caroline turned around, giving them privacy, shaking her head at these two before she jogged over to the car. She'd give them a minute, but then it was time Bonnie got real medical attention, and not just from that dude that Klaus's guy's had put in one of the other cars, driving off with him just as Caroline got to the road.

"Where are they taking him?" she asked one of the other men, turning in surprise when Klaus was the one to reply. How he had gotten out here so quickly she had no idea…

"It's better if you don't know about that," he told her ominously, and goosebumps crept up her arms and legs.

"Klaus," she said, realizing that this man was not who she had thought he was. There was a darkness surrounding him she wasn't sure she should get closer to. If it wasn't too late already…

He smiled at her, his head inclined as he grabbed her hands. "No more questions."

Scoffing, she shook her head. "We need to call the police. People are dead. Damon's mother-"

"And we will. Just… let _me_ handle this, Caroline. I need to protect my players. My team."

Everything on his terms… Caroline pulled her hands away, crossing her arms defensively as she raised her eyebrows, staring hard at him. "Am I gonna see a fabricated story of this in the news?"

"Caroline…" He gave a sigh, his gaze locked on hers. For a while they both remained quiet, too long. Then, Klaus spoke up again. "You don't want to get your friend hurt even more because of this, do you?"

"Of course not!" She huffed in annoyance.

"Well then you'll understand why I'll have to make sure that doesn't happen."

"So that's what this is? You're helping my friend? How noble of you."

He grinned, amused. "I'm not noble; I'm helping _mine._ But since your friend seems to be rather fond of them..." He winked at her, turning briefly to watch Bonnie and Enzo, and Caroline rolled her eyes, despite herself already feeling her defenses crumble. At least he wasn't pretending to be a good guy, at least he was taking care of his friends. She could get behind that. And maybe…

When he abruptly kissed her, she gasped, unsure of what to make of it, before she let her "carnal desires" take over once more and closing her eyes, kissed him back.

It just felt too damn good.

She was hopeless, wasn't she?

* * *

…

"I was worried about you…" Bonnie's forehead was pressed against Enzo's, his hands cupping her face yet again, and she held his wrists, hoping he'd never let go.

It was over, the threat finally eliminated. Enzo was alright, and so was Damon, and she would be okay again, too. Nothing a bit of medical care couldn't cure.

"And I _am_ worried about you, love," he was now saying, pulling away just enough to be able to look at her, and she smiled up at him, tears beginning to trail down her cheeks.

"Ugh, I'm sorry," she said, moving to wipe at them but he was already doing it for her, his thumbs gently caressing her skin.

He shook his head. "You've been through a lot tonight," he muttered, and she chuckled.

"Yeah, but so have you."

Case in point, he was still breathing a bit erratically, though she didn't want to call him out on it unless it got worse again.

"Let's get you to a doctor, Dr. Bennett."

"Okay…" She wasn't going to fight this. She really needed someone other than Lily's guy to check her over, make sure she didn't get septic. "You might have to help me up, though. My legs are a bit shaky…"

His answering smile made her legs grow wobbly in a completely different way altogether, and she clung to him fiercely as he carefully picked her up, carrying her over to the road.

She started at seeing that the sky was already beginning to fade into lighter colors, a small band of pink mixing in with the dark. Morning was close. This all had taken much longer than she had thought…

Or shorter. The night had felt like a lifetime.

Looking up at Enzo's face, she forced herself not to think of all that, though, instead just focusing on this moment, where he held her, and they were finally safe.

Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath.

"I'm so tired," she admitted, her arms growing weaker, falling to the sides. "And I think I may have a thing for you, Enzo St. John…"

"Bonnie?"

She smiled, feeling a chuckle wanting to come, but her exhaustion was just too strong…

"Bonnie! Stay with me."

* * *

...

The drive to the hospital was nerve wracking. Enzo hadn't let Bonnie go for even a second, and as Caroline shot gazes at them both through the rearview mirror, she could see him hold onto her unconscious friend with such fierce concern that her heart was brimming over with sympathy.

Those two were too cute for their own good, it was just so very wrong that Bonnie couldn't even appreciate it at the moment.

Caroline sighed, sniffling to herself as she stared out the window from the passenger seat. A gruff silent guy was driving the car, Raymond or Richmond or maybe Richard, she didn't remember and didn't really care, but when she had heard Enzo call out Bonnie's name rather desperately earlier, she had made an immediate decision.

This time, she wasn't going to focus on herself and Klaus, this time she was going to be there for her best friend. And strangely, Klaus had understood, hadn't tried to keep her from going or anything of the sort. No, he had helped them get Bonnie in the car, then he had held the door open for her, and kissing her cheek rather chastely, he had said, "I'll call you later."

"We're here," the guy whose name started with an R said right then, and Caroline pulled herself out of her thoughts and quickly unbuckled her seatbelt, ready to help Enzo with Bonnie. But he was already out the door, bending down to pick her best friend up, then he carried her all the way over to the entrance so quickly that Caroline had difficulty catching up.

"We need help for my friend!" she hollered as soon as they had entered the emergency room, with a sideways glance at Enzo noticing that he seemed to have some trouble breathing, let alone speaking.

What had Bonnie said? That he had asthma?

Before she could think about it longer, people were already zooming in on them, Bonnie's appearance clearly enough cause for them to take this seriously instantly.

A gurney was wheeled over, someone helping Enzo to carefully place Bonnie on it, and when a sweet but concerned looking nurse asked what had happened, Caroline's brain stuttered back into gear.

"Um, she was shot," she said, "I don't-"

"Gunshot wound. Abdomen," Enzo said, taking over. He sounded so breathless that one of the nurses walked over to his side with a big frown.

"Sir, _you _should sit down."

He shook his head, following along as Bonnie was being wheeled away to one of the examination rooms.

"Sir. We'll take good care of her, I promise," the poor nurse said once they had arrived at their destination, and Caroline's gaze wandered from her to Bonnie, to Enzo and back to the nurse, who continued, "Someone should see you, too. Were you injured?"

Caroline noticed that there was blood on his shirt, and she wasn't sure whether maybe it was just Bonnie's or his own.

"_You_ need to... get out of my way," Enzo hissed, starting to look angry, and Caroline began to feel rather uneasy. Looking around, her gaze fell on Damon Salvatore, who just then came hobbling through the doors, and she sighed with relief as she quickly waved him over.

Then she turned to the nurse, who had planted herself in Enzo's way.

"He has asthma," she blurted, her cheeks flushing bright red as Enzo shot her a glare that could have killed.

"Sir-"

"Lorenzo," Damon called out from still a few feet away. "Don't make the lady's job harder than it is. You heard her, BonBon is well taken care of, so why don't you and I sit down for a moment until someone can take a quick look at you."

Enzo rolled his neck then stared daggers at Damon. "Stay out of it."

Damon sighed. "I can't, old friend. We both know you don't like hospitals, but this one's not an Augustine facility, okay? And you can go check on Bon as soon as you have a bit more color in your face. I don't want her to rip my head off for letting you ruin all her hard work of the last few weeks."

"Um," Caroline piped up, feeling like the guys had forgotten she was even there, "I don't know what's going on here, but… I'll stay with her, okay? I'm not going anywhere, so-"

Damon beamed at her. "See? Blondie here is gonna take care of it. Now let's go with…" he studied the nurse's name tag, "Nisha here real quick and then we'll go back to Bon. Come _on_, Enzo."

Caroline saw the turmoil in Bonnie's guy's face as he now peeked into the exam room where doctors were working on helping her, and she crossed her arms, doing the same.

"Not going anywhere, okay?" she reassured him again, "I'll be with her the entire time."

He shot her a look, a lot more… civil now, and she smiled at him.

"You won't leave her out of your sight?"

She shook her head. "Not for a minute."

Then he eventually nodded slowly, turning toward Damon and the nurse with a resigned expression. "Fine," he allowed, "But I swear if anyone makes me stay-"

"Lorenzo, just… chill."

He leaned in to Damon then, real close, whispering something that Caroline didn't catch but that made the Vampire roll his eyes and shut up, then they eventually all left and she found herself standing alone in the hallway, watching her best friend.

"Don't go anywhere," Enzo abruptly called out again, as if he still didn't quite trust her, and she forced herself to smile and nod rather than roll her eyes at him, mostly just for Bonnie's sake. Because her friend loved this man, and it was damn obvious that he loved her too…

* * *

…

"Ow!" Damon glowered at the nurse that was administering his stitches while he tried to keep an eye on Enzo, who was lying propped up in the adjacent bed, getting breathing treatment.

A doctor had finally been able to persuade the kid to lie still and let them help him out. He had even allowed an x-ray and stitches where Julian's blade had cut his side, staring daggers at Damon the entire time. But Damon had suffered through it without any more snarky comments. Because he was exhausted now, too. His head was hurting like a bitch, his body sore from the fight with Julian, and his damn mind was filled with images of his faceless mother.

Gosh, this had been a bad few hours. Swallowing drily, he shot Enzo another glance.

"When this is over, and Bonnie back home, I swear we'll all have to get a damn drink together."

"One is not enough," Enzo said drily before a nurse pushed the nebulizer back into his mouth.

"Mr. St. John, you heard the doctor. He wants to keep you here for a couple days, but since you refused, you'll have to at least finish this treatment properly - and adhere to the agreement you made about daily check ups. You have some broken ribs, and I don't need to tell you that combined with your-"

"I know," he interrupted her, making a face, and Damon found himself shrugging apologetically.

"He knows," he repeated, dangling his legs as he looked at Enzo. "Don't worry, I'll make him."

Enzo wanted to retort, but coughed instead, giving up eventually and Damon could see just how exhausted his friend really was. The last few hours had taken a toll on all of them. No, the last few weeks, years…

But it was over. Lily was gone. And he was so freaking ready to just look ahead now. Except…

Grimacing, he ran a hand over his head, feeling the newly finished stitches. "I guess I should get in touch with Stefan."

Enzo raised an eyebrow, but didn't say anything, and Damon sighed.

"You're not gonna run straight out of here if I go leave for a minute, are you? I'll have to use their phone… Maybe Stef can give us a ride home later, too."

"I'm not going anywhere without her." Enzo looked so serious that Damon almost had to chuckle. His friend was so hopelessly in love…

But instead of commenting on it yet again, he simply nodded, carefully hopping off the bed now.

"Of course not," he said, patting Enzo's arm briefly before he made his way over to the entrance area again where they had a public phone.

This call wasn't going to be fun…

* * *

…

"Damon, where the hell are you?"

"Did you miss me? I was barely gone one night…"

Stefan propped his head up with one hand, sighing. After he had gotten a rather worrying voicemail from their mother, he hadn't been able to reach either her or his brother, and he had been this close to just calling the cops.

"I called you like, twenty times at least. Did mother leave you a strange message too?"

"About that…"

"She sounded positively suicidal. And I know what you said she did, I know she's bad news and all… but I'm still worried about her."

"Stefan, she's dead."

"It's probably asking a lot but could you check whether she maybe tried to call Enzo, too? Whether he heard from her?"

Damon's words hit him with a significant delay and his brain jerked to a halt.

"Did you hear me, brother?"

"She's dead?"

"Yup," Damon said, "Whatever message she sent you, you picked up the right vibe. She killed herself, and might I add, she did it in style yet again. Blowing her crazy brains out right in front of poor Lorenzo. _After _she had kidnapped his girl."

That… could not be true. "Damon, this isn't funny."

His brother scoffed. "No, Stef, it really isn't. But for once in my life I'm completely serious. Lily is dead. - I'm… I'm sorry. I know you loved her. She didn't deserve it one bit, but you did, so…" Damon trailed off, which was probably for the better because Stefan didn't think he'd be able to take anymore anyways.

"How do you know it's true?"

"I saw her."

Stefan nodded, as if his brother could see him, then slowly got up and walked toward a window, looking out. The world was still intact.

Yet his heart felt like it was missing a chunk. He had learned the awful truth about his mother just weeks ago, had known about a lot of her shortcomings and mistakes even before. Just not the awful extent of it all. Or maybe he had, he had just not wanted to admit it to himself. But despite all that, he hadn't been able to stop loving her, stop yearning for her like any lost child would yearn for their mother. And now she was dead.

"Are you okay, Stef?"

"Am I…" He scoffed, frowning. "No, Damon, I'm not okay. Our mother is dead."

"I know… She deserved it, though. Stefan…"

"I know, alright? I know! Just… I can't do this right now. I gotta…"

"Yeah, sure. I was just… wondering whether you could pick me up at the hospital. Lily's creepy friend kinda bashed my head in bumping our car off the road, and I could use a lift."

Stefan stifled a gasp, shocked. "Okay," he then said, trying both to make sense of Damon's words and ignore them; and it began dawning on him that maybe Lily's death was indeed a good thing. The realization made his chest tighten, his heart threatening to explode.

"Give me the name of the hospital. I'll be there as soon as I can."

"University Medical… Thank you, Stef. And… I'm sorry."

"Yuh. Me too," he muttered, "Me too…"

* * *

…

The world seemed rather blurry as Bonnie came to, and she had to blink a couple of times before her vision finally cleared enough for her to see properly.

This was a hospital room, and that in the chair right by her side was…

"He just fell asleep about five minutes ago," Caroline's voice piped up, and Bonnie slowly turned her head to the other side of the bed, where her best friend was sitting, smiling at her.

"Hey," she said, her throat feeling too dry and raspy, and Care was quick to hand her a drink with a straw.

"Just a few sips, the doctor said." Caroline's smile grew wistful as she waited for Bonnie to finish, then, when she took the drink back from her and fell back into her chair she whispered, "You gave us all a scare, Bonnie. Him especially I think." She jerked her head in Enzo's direction, and Bonnie turned to look at him again where he slept slouching in the uncomfortable plastic chair, somehow managing to still hold her hand, and she had to smile.

"How is he?" she asked, and Caroline chuckled beside her.

"The question is, how are _you_, girl?"

"Fine. I think? What happened anyways?" She remembered being with Enzo, outside of that awful house, remembered him picking her up, and then…

"You passed out. The guy who patched you up at the house probably saved your life, but… you had suffered severe blood loss and they needed to give you transfusions. According to a Dr. Kwame you're doing well, though, and should make a full recovery. If you take it easy for a few weeks, that is... I already talked to Klaus. You'll be on sick leave for a while, but then your spot on the medical team will still be open for you - if you want it…"

"I…" Bonnie licked her lips, trying to process all this. She would be fine… "And Enzo?"

"Was going crazy about you." Caroline smiled at her. "To be honest, I'm a little jealous. If I had a guy who loved me that fiercely…"

"We're not… he doesn't-"

"Bonnie Bennett, will you stop denying the obvious? Do you see him there? Camping out here because for some weird reason he seems to think the hospital staff could take advantage of you in some way or other while you're out. Barely even accepting to get his own injuries treated so he can be back with you?" Caroline chuckled softly as Bonnie's frown turned into a fond if rather concerned expression.

"He got hurt?"

"My pride more than anything, love," he suddenly rasped and both Bonnie and Caroline startled.

"Enzo!" Bonnie gasped out, trying to sit up and wincing as that didn't work so well.

"Don't," he muttered, getting up rather gingerly himself and despite herself she had to chuckle.

"We're a pair, huh?" she said, staring up at Enzo's face that was now above hers, and she barely remembered Caroline was still there until her friend quietly said, "I guess that's my cue. I'll leave you kids to it…"

Then she rather quickly tiptoed out while Bonnie was already getting lost in Enzo's eyes. He was so close now, her heart beating way too fast. Was this a symptom of her injury? Or something else?

His fingers were trailing the side of her face, ending at her lips, and together with whatever pain meds they had given her, she suddenly felt like she was floating.

"I'm sorry I passed out on you," she muttered, but he shook his head, smiling.

"Gave me the chance to play your hero and carry you out of the trenches to safety."

"How knightly of you."

He smirked, wagging an eyebrow. His lips were so close…

Bonnie smacked hers, trying to stay focused. "How are _you_?"

A flicker went through his eyes, something shuttering closed and she kind of regretted having asked. But she needed to know, couldn't skirt around the topic.

"Enzo?"

"I'll be fine," he quietly said.

"Which means you're not fine now."

That smirk was back, making her feel weak.

"Bonnie…"

"It's okay. We don't have to talk about it yet. I just… I want you to know that I'm here for you. To talk, to listen, to just be there."

"All I need is for you to get healthy."

She smiled, then frowned, then smiled again as she put two and two together. "Are you saying that because you need an in-home-doctor again? I saw the way you moved, Mister. Your ribs…"

He chuckled, an arm involuntarily curling around his chest as he did - like she had seen him do before - and she made a sympathetic face. His grimace told the full story.

Shaking her head, she patted the side of her bed. "Come here," she told him, making him look at her curiously. "Doctor's orders: you need to rest. Lie down with me. There's enough room."

"I'm 6'10, I don't think-"

"Rubbing that ridiculously giant height in again, are you?" She chuckled, wincing. "We'll make it work. Just get in here already and close your eyes. And _rest_."

"The chair is perfectly fine."

She scoffed. "It's not. With your awful posture you'll have trouble breathing again in ten seconds flat. So, you'll either have to accept them hospitalizing you for a night or two, or you'll have to go home now - and I promise I'll be perfectly fine here, or…"

She patted the bed again, chuckling as he rolled his eyes.

"I forgot how bossy you are."

"That quickly?" She raised an eyebrow, then smiled as he gave a theatrical sigh.

"Fine, you win, Bonnie Bennett. This time."

Then he carefully climbed in bed with her, mindful to stay on her uninjured side and while part of her suddenly feared this could be awkward and uncomfortable, it soon turned out to be rather… nice.

Lying like that, hands intertwining, foreheads touching, she found herself finally able to relax a bit again. When she heard his slightly wheezy breathing even out, knowing he had already fallen asleep - he was that exhausted, she could finally fall asleep again, too...


	17. Love is a strong word

_Jade: yup, had to do it. I've been rewatching too many Benzo scenes lately. I'm hooked again. Made the mistake of including the season 8 latter half and well, I needed the fluff after that so I wrote some in… :)_

_Thanks as always! *mwah*_

_Guest: Aw, thank you so much! I am so so happy that you enjoy this story and yes, the psychological fallout will be something these guys will need to tackle together. Actually your review really helped me getting me back on track with this chapter! You don't know just how much! :)_

_..._

_This took me a bit longer. But I hope it pays off and you'll like it..._

* * *

…

When Bonnie woke up, the light in the room had completely changed. The day must have been well on its way by then, the sun shining in through the window, and she was kind of relieved that it wasn't dark anymore, that the last night was really, truly over.

Beside her, Enzo was still sleeping, thankfully looking calmer, his breathing almost soundless now, and yet she couldn't help gazing at him with worry as she gently stroked his hair.

A knock at the door frame to her room made her startle and she smiled when she saw Damon casually leaning against it.

"Can I come in? Or is this a bad time?" he said, winking rather suggestively as he jerked his chin in Enzo's direction.

"Just don't wake him up," she said, ignoring his underlying tone.

Which was more than he did… And she rolled her eyes when he continued, "You sure? I mean, the pretty doctor in bed with the baller, you two _might_ have other plans than to-"

"Damon." She raised her eyebrows in warning and he lifted his arms in surrender.

"Just saying…"

"He needed to rest and he wasn't gonna go home or let them admit him so…"

"I get it, Bon. I get it. Trust me. My boy has a track record of doing stupid things and I'm glad this time you were here to prevent worse. - I just hope he left you any room…" He chuckled, and she had to chime in.

"You guys _are_ pretty freakishly tall… But yeah, we were fine."

"I bet you were; you still are…" He winked again and she scoffed, subconsciously tightening her grip on Enzo's hand.

"Anyways," Damon began just as Bonnie asked, "And you? How are you doing? Did they keep you here?"

"Nah, I'm just back for him," he said, indicating his friend again, and Bonnie felt a sudden pang as she realized that she'd probably have to say goodbye to Enzo soon. The nurses had turned a blind eye to him being with her for now, but they'd threatened to admit him if he didn't go home.

"Give him another few minutes? He really needs this." She had meant sleep of course, but the look Damon gave her made her flush instantly.

"Oh, he most certainly does," he said, grinning. "He needs you like he needs oxygen and I really hope he'll have more luck keeping you around than he does getting air into his lungs. - Speaking of, they gave me this… 'incen… incentive spiro-something' for him? Since I'll have to be his nurse this time around, I could really use some pointers on what we're supposed to be doing with it."

Bonnie smiled at the thought of Damon's nurse to Enzo's patient. It was not gonna be pretty, she could sense it.

"The spirometer? Don't worry, I'm sure he knows his way around one. Plus, it's really easy. He just needs to put the mouthpiece in his mouth and breathe. It's really just a fancy word for a simple device. They probably prescribed it as a precaution against pneumonia…"

"Right. Okay…" Damon shot a glance at his still sleeping friend, and the concern in his look gave Bonnie an unexpected case of the warm-fuzzies.

"You really do care about him a lot, don't you?" she asked, and he looked up with a half grin on his face before he sighed.

"Love him like a brother," he admitted rather openly, surprising Bonnie a bit. "Even though he is a goddamn idiot. If he doesn't get you on a date soon, I might change my mind, though, because then he clearly can't be helped anymore."

"Damon…" She chuckled, holding her side as she did. "Don't make me laugh."

His features had changed considerably, a sadness in them now. "I'm so sorry you have to suffer because of her, too," he said quietly, not speaking his mother's name this time, and Bonnie understood that all too well.

"I'll be fine," she told him now, her own expression earnest. "It's not your fault what she did. I already told Enzo the same thing."

"Yeah? And how did he take it?"

She gave him a pointed look and he nodded. "Yeah, I figured… Do me a favor Bon?" He made a pause, obviously waiting for her to give him a sign, and she smiled, nodding.

"Take him out on a date if he doesn't ask me first?" she suggested, trying to lighten the mood, and Damon looked up at her, starting to chuckle.

"That too."

"What else?"

There was a certain heaviness in the atmosphere now, then Damon eventually said, "Please don't give up on him. He might be a piece of work, he has a troubled past and too many dead ghosts, he has an awful temper, plays the guitar too damn late at night, and he takes practice way too seriously. But he is a hopeless romantic with a too big heart and you've already taken up residence in there like no one else ever even came close to doing."

"Damon…" Bonnie suddenly felt strangely uncomfortable, like Damon was telling her things she had no right knowing, even though he hadn't given her any details. Just.

Enzo liked her. It hadn't just been a spur of the moment thing, his way of seeking comfort… She had to stop herself from smiling as she continued listening to Damon talk, her expression soon changing into a deep frown that was beginning to give her a headache.

"I know I've been teasing you about this, but I'm no idiot and I can tell that there's something between you both and it's not just one-sided. But if this is too much for you, or if he ruins it somehow, promise me you'll come to me first before calling it quits?"

His words sounded so genuinely heartfelt, completely void of any jest that she didn't quite know what to make of them. Of course she had already known that Enzo didn't come with the easiest past. Of course he'd have issues.

But so did she. Not everything was sunshine and rainbows in her life either. Damon's concern, however, was endearing, and…

"He plays the guitar?" she said, speaking before she had even finished mulling it all over, because deep down she had long made her decision. She liked this man, too, in a different way than Damon, but not any less.

Yes, Bonnie Bennett was beginning to fall for a damn baller after all. It just hadn't turned out to be the one her heart had thought it was going to be all those months ago.

At least she realized that she was finally completely over her crush. As she chuckled, Damon frown-grinned at her.

"Really? Above everything else, you pick up on the guitar thing?"

Bonnie shrugged. "What can I say? I love music... I've been known to sing late at night. You can ask Caroline."

"I just might." Damon shook his head, smirking at her. "I have a feeling she and I will become great friends. She already gave me the vibe that she has seen right through you two as well." He chuckled, shaking his head. "Two crazy late night wannabe musicians, someone help us all."

"Nothing wannabe about it. You're just jealous," Enzo suddenly muttered, very slowly coming back from sleep, and he stretched out even longer beside Bonnie, not in the least affected by the fact that Damon was there, seeing him in bed with Bonnie.

As if this was just the natural place for him to be.

And maybe it was, Bonnie thought, smiling at him now.

"Damon told me you play the guitar," she informed him, "late at night."

"Did he also tell you that he's a terrible singer?"

"Hey!"

Bonnie chuckled, shooting Damon a glance. "You sing?"

He cocked his head, crossing his arms as he looked from her to Enzo. "What's with the bro-code violation, Lorenzo? You're not supposed to tell the ladies about that."

"You told her about the guitar. I thought we were reciprocating."

"_You_ don't _suck_ at guitar."

"Is that your way of admitting you suck at singing then? That's a first."

"Guys. Stop! Stop, please. Remember? Laughing still hurts."

"This is not a laughing matter, Bonnie Bennett," Enzo said with an earnest expression that made her melt inside a bit. "We're talking about music."

Damon rolled his eyes. "There he goes again. Enzo, don't bore the lady. Get out of her bed now and let her rest while you go home with me. You can pack your guitar and play for her as soon as she's better."

He and Enzo exchanged a glance, the mood suddenly slipping a bit and Bonnie sighed when she noticed it. All good things had to come to an end, of course.

"He's right, love. Apologies for encroaching on your space."

"You didn't…"

His damn smile, it made her turn to putty. Her cheeks began feeling too hot again as he leaned over a bit, his gaze right on her.

"I should _probably_ wait outside," Damon said, dragging out the "probably" to ridiculous length, then he tapped the doorframe. "BonBon, feel better. I'll be back for more visits. - Loverboy, I'll wait for you outside. And remember to take it easy while I'm gone. You kids are not in great shape."

Already Bonnie wasn't paying attention anymore, just gazing up at Enzo, his dark eyes, his lips, the light stubble on his chin… His warmth…

"Thank you, Bonnie Bennett."

"For what?"

"Letting me stay last night…"

She swallowed, unable to say anything as his lips got even closer to hers as he had lowered himself down on one arm, half perched above her now.

"I'll be back later, if that's alright?"

"Uh huh…"

"Let me know if you need anything."

_Just you_, a voice in her head said, and for a second she was worried she had said it out loud. Then his smile grew even more.

"A woman of many words…"

He began to chuckle and she had to avert her gaze as her cheeks began to flush. Why was she so damn speechless all of a sudden? But when he slowly moved to eventually push himself up after a long silent moment, she abruptly turned to face him again, grabbing his neck, pulling him down again despite her body's protests, and she kissed him.

A long kiss, this time. Finally… Lips finding lips, tongues finding tongues… No rush.

Because no, she wasn't just going to let him go like that. Not this time. Not ever again.

* * *

…

When he was gone, and Bonnie was alone, she suddenly felt the true extent of everything that had happened. And she missed being able to keep an eye on Enzo.

She knew she'd have to get evaluated for trauma herself, after all she had been held at gunpoint, had been kidnapped and shot, but something told her that this was going to be even harder for Enzo. And possibly Damon, who had seen his mother with her face blown off. That was more than anyone should ever have to see - more than she had wanted to see, either, despite the fact that she was glad Lily wasn't around anymore. It was just… even in death the woman was threatening to still wreak havoc on their lives. On Enzo's for sure… But if Bonnie had any say in the matter, she was going to be a part of his life now too. If last night had shown her anything, it was that she really did have feelings for him, strong ones. She just didn't quite know what to make of them…

Maybe it was just because of what they had been through together. Maybe she should be glad he was gone now and she'd have some time to listen to her heart. Maybe…

But she wasn't. She really wasn't. She wanted him here. She didn't want to be in this bed alone, didn't want to stay at the hospital, didn't want to-

"Oh, baby girl, how are you feeling?"

The voice jolted her out of her thoughts and her face scrunched up almost immediately.

"Grams?"

The old woman had spanned the distance between them quickly, embracing her granddaughter in her arms, and Bonnie couldn't help but start crying for real in the warmth of her Grams' gentle hug.

"Caroline called me. She told me what happened."

Bonnie swallowed, the lump in her throat almost making it impossible for her. "Everything?"

Sheila tilted her head as she now looked at her grandchild, sitting down on the side of her bed. "You tell me."

"I got kidnapped and shot." Bonnie sobbed, wiping her eyes furtively, and her Grams quickly grabbed both her hands.

"But you'll be okay. The person who did this, Caroline said she's dead?"

"She shot herself, I was right there. It was awful, it was… her whole face… it just kinda… exploded-"

She broke off abruptly, the memory threatening to overwhelm her, and Sheila leaned in to hold her again.

"Shhhh," the old woman made, stroking Bonnie's back, giving her the comfort she needed, and after what felt like an hour, Bonnie finally felt like she could stop herself from crying again.

"I'm sorry," she muttered, trying to smile. "I guess it was all a bit much…"

Grams looked at her with a sympathetic frown. "Of course it was, child. But that's why I'm here now. You need family around to help you get through this."

With a sudden pang, Bonnie bit her lip, the change in her demeanor immediately being picked up on by her Grams.

"What are you not telling me?"

"That woman… she was an awful, awful person, and she… she hurt someone real bad. Someone I care about."

"You're worried about him."

Bonnie looked up, startled at the conviction in her Grams' tone. "How do you know it's a 'he'?"

Sheila raised an eyebrow, a small grin appearing on her features.

"I've known you all your life, sweetheart, and I can see it when someone has stolen your heart. You're most certainly talking about a boy."

"A 6'10 _boy_," Bonnie said drily, with a roll of her eyes, and Sheila shook her head, chuckling.

"You're not telling me it's this Salvatore 'Vampire' basketball kid, are you?"

Bonnie scoffed. "No."

"Good-"

"It's his teammate," Bonnie quickly interjected before her Grams could say anymore and Sheila's expression made her laugh. "Ow," she made, holding her side, and her Grams looked at her with worry.

"You alright, babygirl? I could get a nurse over here…"

"No, it's fine. Laughing just… kinda sucks."

"It's a good thing your Grams is here to give you a stern lecture on why you should not be dating a baller when your job entails working on the medical staff of a basketball team." The raised eyebrows she gave Bonnie almost made her chuckle again, but she managed to catch herself.

"I hadn't planned on it," she allowed. "I was so proud I was finally getting over that fangirly crush on Damon, and then…"

"It's 'Damon' now, huh? And who is that other one? Do I know him?"

Bonnie gnawed on her lip, shooting her Grams a sheepish glance.

"His name's Enzo. Lorenzo, actually, but… He's-"

"The one who protected you from getting crushed during that one game, isn't he?"

Bonnie was surprised her Grams remembered that, and she nodded, casting her eyes down.

"Well, at least he knows what's good for him," Sheila said soberly and Bonnie had to smile at her.

"That sounds like you've grown soft. You've never had anything even remotely kind to say about any of the guys I liked, not to mention dated."

"Because you normally have horrible taste in men, child…" She clicked her tongue, eyes flickering, and Bonnie had to chuckle, holding her hand over her injury as she did.

"Normally?"

"I'm not saying this one is any different, but anyone who endangers himself to protect my baby girl at least deserves a chance."

Bonnie pressed her lips together, feeling herself blush a little when she admitted, "I really like him, Grams. He's… different. - And I'm worried about him."

Her grandmother sighed, looking at her with a soft shake of the head. "Well, if you really think he's worth it, I'm sure the two of you can help each other deal with what you've been through. And I'll be here for you, too."

"Okay," Bonnie muttered, feeling new tears come, but before they had a chance to fall, her Grams pulled her in for another hug.

"It'll be alright," she soothed, "it'll be alright."

* * *

…

Enzo's friggin' apartment… Damon rolled his eyes as he stared up the flights of stairs, not even able to see the top. Ugh… Of course he knew perfectly well why the kid really had insisted on staying at his own place. He had hoped Damon would nope out of keeping him company if it entailed him having to try and get up that ridiculous mountain.

Clever. Because, he was admittedly pretty damn close to doing just that now that he was here.

"Need me to carry your bag for you?" Enzo said with a barely veiled smirk as he appeared beside Damon, who shot his friend a sideways glance.

"Enzo, despite whatever you're thinking I'm quite capable of getting myself _and_ my bag up there, thank you very much."

"Just making sure. It's not too late to just go home."

"You're coming with me?"

Enzo scoffed in reply and Damon gave a sigh. "Yeah, I thought so. Which means… since you have to be a stubborn idiot about everything and we both know you need supervision if you don't want to end up at the hospital after all-"

"I can take care of myself."

"Since when?"

Enzo didn't grace his question with an answer, just began making his way up the stairs, noticeably much slower than Damon had seen him run up in the past.

"My place is level with the ground," he chirped up, "you sure you don't wanna-"

"I'm not coming to your place, Damon. So stop asking."

"So testy. Geez." He wanted to add that the encounter with Lily had really done a number on his friend, but he was smart enough to keep it to himself. Nothing good would come of making that memory resurface - for either of them.

Too late, because he could already see that bloody non-face again. Wiping a hand over his face, he clutched the bannister with the other, eventually forcing himself to make his way up, to leave the gosh darn memories of his horrible mother at the bottom of the stairs. Trouble would come soon enough, even without delving into those right now. He just knew that Enzo would have an even harder time coming back from what they had experienced, had endured, and it was only a matter of time until they'd have to deal with that.

But first… the awful stairs.

When he had finally made it all the way up, breathing like a damn walrus and cursing, Enzo was already busy in the hallway, tossing some sheets and a pillow at Damon.

"You can have the couch," his friend said, and Damon stared up at the ceiling as if there was anyone there to help him out.

"You need more guest rooms."

"I need fewer guests."

"Psh," Damon made, before he realized something. "I hope you didn't make poor Bon sleep on the couch, too? Lorenzo?"

Enzo gave him a look as he walked past Damon and into the kitchen, making so much noise with everything he did that Damon soon suspected that the kid was probably awfully out of breath and hiding it. Wouldn't have been the first time…

"Really? You let her sleep on the couch?" he asked, trying to give his friend a bit more time before he'd call him out on his diversion tactics. "That poor girl."

"She's not a poor girl and she had invited herself, so…"

"So you decided to be an asshole about it? That it? Because the reason she 'invited herself over' was so you wouldn't have to go to the hospital and throw a tantrum. Have you forgotten that already?"

"I'm not a toddler, Damon, stop treating me like one."

"Well, frankly, you've been acting like a damn child for way too long. If you want me to treat you differently then act differently. Starting with Bonnie. She does not deserve you doing the same to her as you're doing to me. Because, she might _not_ stay around. Okay? Can you get that into your thick head?"

"Damon…"

"Don't 'Damon' me," he waved him off, tired of this now, then he flopped on a kitchen chair staring at Enzo. "And don't tell me to shut up either."

Enzo raised an eyebrow, but didn't say anything. Good.

Damon sighed, rubbing his eyes. Gosh, he was tired. He hadn't slept last night, foregoing the needs of his body in order to keep a devastated Stefan company. Now he'd have to try and divide his time between both him and Enzo. Which would have been so much easier if the latter hadn't refused to stay at his place!

"Argh," he made, ruffling his own hair almost violently. "Okay. I'm gonna say this now, and then I'll shut up. I know you like to pretend all is well and the past never happened, but this girl, this beautiful, kind girl seems to see something special in you, and I'm begging you to not ruin it."

"I don't intend to…"

"Yeah well… Famous last words. You're stubborn, Lorenzo."

"What the hell are you saying? How did you get here from bloody guest rooms?"

Enzo was getting rather angry, and Damon sighed. Of course the guest rooms - or lack thereof - wasn't the real issue. They both knew that.

"I'm saying, your lips are turning blue, you're leaning so heavily on the kitchen counter as if you're about to pass out any second and you're pretending that seeing Lily blow her brains out in front of you was nothing. That seeing Bonnie hurt was nothing. That you're okay."

"What do you want from me, Damon? To tell you I'm not?" Enzo's glare pained Damon. The raw pain in it, the anger, hatred… "Fine," his friend then continued, "I'm not okay. Is that better? I'm not bloody okay!"

And before Damon could say anything or do anything, the kid was already swiping the pots he had put on the stove off with one quick move and stormed out of the kitchen, leaving Damon behind.

"Well, that went well," he muttered to himself, putting his elbows up on the kitchen table to rest his head for a moment.

.

They didn't speak of the episode again, Damon careful not to make Enzo throw him out of the apartment, because he knew now more than before that leaving Enzo alone would be a downright dangerous idea.

However, four days into his stay Damon suddenly realized that his idiot friend had not visited poor Bonnie once since she had been hospitalized and he had spent the night with her.

Not once.

And he didn't hear it from Enzo, either, but from a rather upset looking Bonnie, who pretended to be fine.

"What's going on, BonBon?" he asked on his latest visit as he walked closer. Slumping down in a chair by her side, he put his foot up on the end of her bed. He had finally gotten the cast off, but the leg was still pretty useless.

"Nothing," she evaded, "I'm… just tired of this place, I guess?" She grinned at him but it was a rather sad expression.

Shaking his head at her he frowned. "Nobody likes the hospital. That's not what's bothering you, though. Is it homeboy? The lovelorn romantic who ruins all romances? The baller that should be with the doctor? The-"

"It's not about Enzo."

Right. He scoffed, not believing a word. It was obvious what was going on here. "What did the idiot do?"

Bonnie pressed her lips together. "Nothing. But hey, at least they said I could go home tomorrow."

Yeah, no. He wasn't going to fall for that. "That's great news, Bon, but it doesn't answer my question. What did he do?"

"Can we just not?"

"Bonnie…" He gave her the look. He had perfected that one, a bit of raised eyebrow, a bit of frown, and a good dose of smirk. The look that told everyone he wasn't going to buy their crap and he wasn't going to let it go either. She might not know that look yet, but she'd soon understand.

"Remember what I told you? About coming to me before calling it quits?"

"There's nothing I could call quits on, Damon!"

There. A little more passion. That was good. A start. "Then what is going on?"

"I haven't seen him for days, that's all. I'm just… worried about him. I just thought, after… I guess I was just stupid."

"No, Bon." He sighed, annoyed with Lorenzo to the point of real anger. "You're not stupid. Enzo, on the other hand, is an even bigger idiot than I thought was possible. Let me talk to him."

"Oh gosh, please no! It's not like he's obligated to. I'm just worried..."

"The kid _loves_ you, Bonnie! _There_ is his obligation. He's probably busy fighting his demons in the darkness of his bedroom or something, but I'm not gonna let him ruin this."

"Damon… if he needs time-".

"You're cutting him way too much slack. First he throws a fit because he can't stay with you 24/7 and now he hasn't been to see you in four freaking days?" He threw his arms up theatrically. "Kid needs a kick in the behind. I'm sorry, BonBon, but I gotta go now and handle this."

With that, he got up and gave her a kiss on the cheek, then hobbled out on his crutches, looking back at her with a smile.

"Promise you'll not throw him right out when he gets here?"

The smallest smile appeared on her face as she nodded briefly. "Sure…"

"It's 'of course,' Bon. Sure means, something else…"

Scoffing, she rolled her eyes. "Of course, Damon."

"Atta girl…"

.

Talking to Enzo… was a different matter. He had been waiting for him in the living room, watching stupid day time TV while doing exercises for his leg, when Enzo finally came back from wherever the hell he had been, and Damon was ready to rip his head off.

"You're supposed to rest, you idiot," he threw at him the second he walked through the door, and Enzo looked at him, his lip curling upward in a strange smirk.

"You're not my father."

"No, your father is dead." Ouch. That was a low blow, even coming from him. Already he could see tension return to Enzo's body, his shoulders too tense, his expression grim.

"Exactly," he said, though, then flopped down on the couch not far from Damon, taking the remote away to change the channel.

"Wanna tell me where the hell you've been going? Because it's not the hospital to visit Bonnie. And you're not yet allowed to return to practice."

The sideways glance Enzo shot him said everything. The kid felt guilty. Like he should.

"Enzo." He sighed, genuinely feeling sad for his friend now. What Lily had done… it had ruined so much. But he wasn't gonna sit here and see it ruin Enzo's future, too. It was time they all left the damn past where it belonged. Behind them.

"She's worried about you, you know? That's the only reason I even found out you haven't been back to see her."

Enzo pressed his lips together, pretending to stare at the screen, but it was obvious that he wasn't actually paying attention.

"Come on, talk to me, man. You don't wanna let this girl go."

Lowering his head, Enzo dug his fingers into the corners of his eyes and sighed. "Can we do this another time? I'm tired."

"I'm afraid not. Because you're going over there. Now."

"Damon…"

He scooted over, grabbing Enzo's neck roughly, making him look up, his own face inches from that of his friend.

"You are going to visit her at that damn hospital. If you're scared they'll keep you, if that's it, I'll come with you. But you're going!"

"That's not it," Enzo gritted out, trying to shove Damon away, and he let go, accepting that half answer as a start.

"What is it, then?"

"She almost bloody died because of me!" Enzo finally blurted out, getting up to pace the room, and Damon leaned back to look at him, squinting. Kid had a goddamn guilt complex.

"She did not. She almost died because of my mother. Because of Lily. _You_ saved her."

Enzo made a pained noise, anguished, staring at Damon with tears welling in his eyes and he felt an awful pit open in his stomach at seeing that.

"She ruined everything. I can't… I can't face Bonnie knowing that I dragged her into this mess. I can't be her reminder of… of _that_. She'll look at me and see-"

"_You_," Damon insisted. He had gotten up now, too, walking over to where Enzo was now standing in front of the large windows facing the city, and he grabbed his friend by the shoulders, hard. "She'll see _you_. And eventually, _she_'ll also be the only one _you_ see. Bonnie. Not Lily. Let her go. Don't let her ruin this for you, too. She's done enough."

"I can't."

"Of course you can, Lorenzo." Damon gave him a duh-look, and was relieved to see the smallest hint of a smile tug at the corners of his friend's mouth, even though he was rolling his eyes. "You're stronger than all of us," Damon continued, "You can do this. And you deserve this girl. But she deserves someone who is there for her, too. Who visits her at the hospital…" He winked, and Enzo made a face, his moving jaw muscles telling Damon just how worked up the kid still was.

"I guess I should…"

"Yup. Right now. Don't worry, she's not gonna bite your head off. Bonnie Bennett ist too kind for that."

"She is certainly something…" Enzo sniffed, averting his gaze as he got wrapped up in his own thoughts, and Damon let him go, satisfied that he had gotten through to him enough. At least for the time being.

There was still a lot of work to be done.

An awful lot.

* * *

…

"Hello, Bonnie Bennett?"

Beaming despite herself as she saw him appear at the door, heard his sonorous voice intone her name with a slight raise at the end as if he was asking a question, Bonnie waited for Enzo to step closer, so strangely relieved when she could finally touch him again.

He was sitting down at the edge of her bed, grabbing one of her hands, and that smile that always made her melt into a puddle was back on his face, doing what it always did.

"Hello yourself, Enzo St. John," she said, casting her eyes down briefly to collect herself as he stared at her. "I didn't think you'd be coming today."

His features darkened as she tilted her head, an unspoken question in her eyes now. Because it had been four days without a visit from him, four days without even just a little text message, and she simply didn't understand what the hell was going on. Even Damon had been to see her more often, had actually come by every day. And every day he had been whining about the awful trek up and down the stairs he had to endure just to see her.

She had told him she appreciated it, though she'd rather he take it easy, but then he had seen her smile slip and he had known instantly what was the matter.

The man that sat before her now, one leg pulled up so he could sit with her, _he_ was the matter. Or rather, his strange absence from her room when he had been so insistent before that he didn't want to leave her side.

Had she done something wrong? Made the wrong assumptions? Maybe this was all too much, and after the first shock was over he had realized he didn't actually like her 'like that.'

But that didn't make sense either, because he was here now, and the way he caressed her hand absently, lost in her gaze, made her see that he did indeed like her like that. Like she liked him.

"I'm sorry," he muttered now, making an anguished face, and she frowned at the obvious turmoil she could see peeking through behind his shuttered facade. "For not coming back here sooner."

"I know how much you hate hospitals," she said, and he made a face, looking down.

"You deserve better, love. Not some ruined bloke who's afraid of hospitals and doesn't even know how to treat a lady."

"It's a good thing I'm not a lady, then. And you're not ruined." She smiled, tapping his chin lightly to make him look at her again. "Hey. Hey… Are you okay?"

He scoffed, his hand coming up to grab the side of her neck, his thumb caressing her cheek. It felt too good, too right. Gosh, had she missed this. And how was that possible after such a short time?

"I should ask _you_ that…"

"I'm okay. I'm okay…" She found herself saying it over and over suddenly as he was crumpling right before her very eyes, trying so hard to keep it together.

"I'm so sorry I got you in so much danger. I never meant-"

"It's not your fault. And I'm okay… I really am."

"If she had killed you, I don't think I could have sur-"

"But she didn't. I'm here. And so are you, and… we'll be okay, you hear? We'll be okay again."

She hadn't realized she was crying until he looked up with tears in his eyes, too, and she lifted her hands to hold his face, just looking at him, smiling despite the tears. And when she kissed him, following a sudden urge, she could tell that it took him a moment to kiss her back. But then she felt his hands in her hair, such a tender gesture, and she leaned into his touch, into him. Then when he finally kissed her back, she knew that what she had said was really true.

They would be okay.

.

Later, when they had finally let go of each other a little again, though his hand was still holding her neck, his thumb still tracing her lip absently, Enzo looked at her, a question in his gaze.

"What?"

"Do you think you'll ever be able not to associate that night with me? Because I couldn't bear the thought of you seeing _that_ when you look at me."

He looked so tormented that Bonnie's heart got squeezed tight in her chest. "Is that why you stayed away? Because you thought you'd remind me of that night?"

He made a face, not denying it.

"Oh, Enzo, I don't even do that now!" She pressed her lips together, half smiling, half frowning at him. Inclining her head, she made him look at her again when he tried to avert his gaze. "I… I associate you with your… accent driving me crazy," she started, stammering, "And with you pushing all my buttons, getting under my skin when you're not listening to doctor's orders, with… with omelettes, grated cheese for a snack, and bad sitting posture and real nice basketball moves. With your ridiculously handsome smile, giant height, and with how you make me feel safe. You make me feel _safe_, Enzo St. John."

For a while there was silence between them, just silence. But he was beginning to smile that smile again, and it made her smile too.

"So… anything else you'd like to add to that list?" he eventually asked with a smirk and she gently slapped his arm.

"Don't push it!"

They both chuckled, such a relieving feeling, then Bonnie wrapped her arms around him, breathing in his scent.

"I think I like you a lot," she muttered, not quite sure about the stronger word yet, although she had a feeling that this was what it felt like. Love…

She was falling in love with this man.

As his grip on her tightened, she closed her eyes, just enjoying the moment for as long as she could.

"I like you a lot, too, Bonnie Bennett."

Her smile widened.


	18. Sleep

…

This time, Enzo didn't fall asleep in Bonnie's bed. Because this time, he wanted to be there for her, watch over her as she slept.

Which didn't mean he couldn't still lay in bed with her and hold her…

Nuzzling up close to her, he had made himself as comfortable as the hospital bed would allow, and he breathed her in as she now closed her eyes, her breaths slowly evening out more and more.

"This is nice," Bonnie muttered where she lay with her head resting against his shoulder, making him smile into her hair. He couldn't believe he was so lucky that she had not only forgiven him but also allowed him to stay.

"It is," he agreed, sighing, just letting himself stay in the moment.

"Almost too nice to go home tomorrow…"

"They're letting you out?" His interest was piqued.

"Uh huh… After morning rounds. My Grams is gonna pick me up…"

He closed his eyes, a thought taking form in his mind. "Could I… invite you over to stay at my place until you're better? I'd like to return the favor and take care of you."

Abruptly more awake again, Bonnie stared up at him, her gorgeous green eyes alight. "I… I'm not sure I could make it up those stairs right now. You should hear Damon complain about them." She chuckled, and he had to smile. Hearing her chuckle was the most beautiful thing…

"I'll carry you."

A scoff escaped her. "You'll carry me."

"I'll carry you."

"Enzo." That chuckle again… "You're forgetting something. - Your bruised ribs? Your asthma?"

"I can handle you, Bonnie Bennett."

"Oooh." She clicked her tongue, something almost suggestive about it, a dare. "Are you sure about that?"

Smirking at her, he raised his eyebrows. "No, but I'm willing to find out. Are you?"

"You know doctors are the worst patients. My Grams already said she'd take care of me."

Okay, she was not going to make this easy for him. But he wasn't going to give up so easily either. "You'd be doing me a favor," he admitted, trying a different route. It wasn't a lie.

"A favor?"

"Yup. I'd get to tell Damon that there won't be enough room for him to stay anymore."

"Aaah, that's why. You want to get rid of the overbearing best friend. How bad has it been between you two?"

Enzo gave a weary sigh. He didn't even want to delve into it, not with her. Not yet… "He's… hard to live with."

"And you aren't?"

"What are you talking about?" He looked at her, mock-offended. "Weren't the last weeks we spent together lovely?"

Bonnie laughed, holding her side as she did, before she eventually sobered again. "They were surprisingly nice," she said, the genuine admittance making his heart do a weird little jolt.

"So let's repeat that experience - and this time I'll be a better host. I'll cook for you, I'll play late night guitar to your singing, and I'll make sure you get all the rest you need."

For a while she just stared up at him quietly, clearly contemplating his offer. When it had been so long that he was getting ready to prepare himself for her to decline, she eventually muttered, " I'll probably regret this, but okay. I'll stay at your place. That way I can at least make sure you are taking it easy, too, and that you and Damon don't knock each other's heads in."

He beamed at her, then placed a kiss on the crown of her head.

"Then it's settled."

"Yes it is… But we'll have to pick up some of my things tomorrow. And you'll probably have to meet my Grams. Otherwise she won't let me stay with you."

"Of course. I'll be my best charming self."

"You better." She grinned. "And you'll have to give me the bed this time."

"Maybe we can share it…" He winked at her and she smiled, before averting her gaze.

"Maybe we can…"

With that they eventually fell silent and he pulled her even closer, holding her until she was slowly but surely drifting off, and even then he kept holding her, breathing her in, staying up to watch over her.

Because he loved this woman.

And staying up kept the nightmares at bay.

* * *

...

With a long drawn out exhalation, Caroline put her phone down for a moment, letting herself fall into the cushions of Elena's comfortable couch.

"I told you he was going to fabricate a story," she told her friends - both the one sitting across from her and the one who was looking at her from her hospital bedroom, projected onto a laptop screen on the coffee table.

Bonnie shrugged, repositioning herself a little as Elena chimed in.

"Well, Elijah said that's just how Klaus handles things."

"'Elijah said,' huh?" Caroline and Bonnie exchanged a look, chuckling when Elena crossed her arms defensively.

"Guys. It's not like that."

"But you broke up with Matt…"

Elena sat with her lips pressed together, suddenly awfully quiet, but Caroline wasn't going to call her out on it. After all, she knew about the charm of those darn Mikaelsons first hand.

"What's the story, then?" Bonnie finally asked, steering them all back on topic before Elena would feel the need to explain her relationship - or lack thereof - with Klaus's older brother.

"That's the thing. It's two stories now… Here. Most sports news outlets report that Enzo is out for another couple of games 'due to a relapse after his latest flu infection.' They note that there's complications because of some broken ribs sustained during the game against the Celtics. Nothing about any injuries sustained in an off-court altercation. It's as if that never happened."

"Hm," Bonnie made, frowning. "What about Lily then? And Julian? - And Damon? I'm sure someone will have noticed the laceration on his forehead, despite that ridiculous beanie he's been wearing. He's not exactly keeping a low profile…"

She was referring to a bunch of Instagram pics, of course, pics Caroline had shown her. Damon with an attractive British woman called Rose, at the latest Hybrids game.

Care nodded as she pulled another page up. "They're all just speculations. He's been asked about it directly and said it was a minor car accident."

"Well, he wasn't lying per se, I guess…"

"And what about…" Care could see that Bonnie didn't even want to repeat the name, and she looked at her friend with sympathy. Gnawing on her lip, she put the phone down, focusing on the two other girls.

"That's where the real fabrication comes in. I don't know how he did it, but Klaus made it look like a breaking and entering type thing - at her home."

"She's from out of town, though, which would have been way too far away," Elena piped up and Caroline gave her an "exactly" look. Somehow he must have moved the bodies far far away...

"Official police reports have Julian listed as her partner, stating that both were shot by an unknown perpetrator."

"Someone has connections to the police," Elena stated drily with a glance at Caroline, just as Bonnie noted, "So no ties to either of the boys…"

Care shook her head, focusing on Bonnie's question rather than Elena's half-accusation, and Bonnie nodded, her lips a thin line, before she abruptly turned her head, starting to giggle, her phone going dark as she dropped it, probably onto her blanket.

"Stop," Care and Elena heard their friend say, the giggling continuing, "Will you… I'm still talking to my friends!"

The girls exchanged a meaningful glance, grinning as they waited for Bonnie to return to the screen. When she finally did, their friend looked a little flushed, and Caroline and Elena began chuckling.

"Uh… sorry, I was… Enzo is here to pick me up," she said with a sheepish look, and Elena took it upon herself to ask what Care knew she had no right to ask herself.

"So, you're really gonna stay at his place rather than with us? You sure you wanna do that? I mean, how long have you known the guy?"

Bonnie's expression faltered for just a moment, then she raised her chin almost defiantly and Care couldn't help but feel a little proud of her.

"Long enough, actually. You might be forgetting that I already spent two weeks at his place before, when I really didn't know him all that much and he was a perfect gentleman the whole time."

"For someone with the flu," Caroline couldn't help but say, and Bonnie rolled her eyes, though she was smiling again.

"For someone with the flu."

"Okay," Elena allowed, "I'm sorry, I'm just worried, is all. Will he be able to take care of you, though? You know what the doctors said-"

"That I need to take it very easy, I know. I'll be fine, Elena. I promise."

"Tell them I'll take good care of you," Enzo's disembodied voice piped up, and Bonnie's eyes widened as she beamed sheepishly at her friends. Caroline smiled back, mouthing an, "He's talking about something else, too," and Bonnie flushed even more, shaking her head.

"Can you even climb those stairs with her in your arms? Coz you know you can't let her walk up there straight out of the hospital," Caroline then called out rather loudly, a little shocked when Enzo appeared on the screen, beaming at her rather cockily.

"That's my ploy," he said, "But to alleviate your fears, I'm absolutely prepared to carry her wherever she needs to be."

The way the muscles danced in his arm as he held the phone made Caroline not doubt that one bit...

"Okay," she then said as Bonnie was back on the screen, and puffing out air she said, "I guess we should leave you two to it then. Let me know if you need anything."

"Will do. Thanks Care, Elena. Love you guys."

"We love you!"

With that, they finally hung up and Elena and Caroline sat in silence for a minute, before they both abruptly started giggling.

"You think they'll be able to control those hormones much longer?" Elena eventually asked, still grinning, and Care shook her head.

"Pretty sure they're already at it right now."

Elena grinned, hiding her face, and they both started giggling again. Their best friend really had it bad. It was just good that her cute new boyfriend had it just as bad for her…

* * *

…

Bonnie felt exhausted, but happy. Enzo had just driven her home so she could pack her things, and he was watching her now from where he stood leaning against the wall way too casually, making her go crazy.

"Let me know if you need help," he repeated for at least the fifth time, and she tried to hide her smile as she kept packing.

"I told you I got it." What she hadn't told him was that she was a bit embarrassed thinking of him going through her clothes… Remembering just how awkward she had felt before, when he had washed her clothes over at his place, she didn't think she was ready yet for a repeat.

His smirk now made her think it was the right decision and she had to chuckle to herself.

"What's so funny, love?"

"Nothing."

The way he crossed his arms and tilted his head told her he was about to contest that, but at that moment, her grandmother walked into the room, shooting them both a suspicious glance.

"Grams, hi…" Bonnie beamed at the old woman, who slowly made her way over to Enzo, almost ignoring Bonnie.

"You must be the young man that wants to whisk my granddaughter away."

Bonnie had to stifle a laugh at seeing Enzo's bemused expression as he bristled a bit under Sheila's scrutiny.

"I don't intend to whisk her away. I simply offered to repay her for her previous kindness by taking care of her while she recuperates."

"Uh huh." Sheila was frowning at him, just inches away, and it was a bit funny to see her tiny grandma intimidate the much larger man before her.

"Grams, you said you were gonna give him a chance."

"Doesn't mean I'll let you run off with him without first getting a good look at him."

She turned her attention toward Enzo again, who was smiling down at her now, extending a hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you," he said as he patiently waited until Sheila finally took his hand to shake it.

"This girl is special to me," she said, squinting at him, "I would have preferred she let me do this for her but she insisted you'd take good care of her. You better not disappoint her, or me."

Enzo smiled his disarming smile, the corners of his mouth curling as he did, and Bonnie could see that it had an effect even on her grumpy Grams.

"I intend to take this very seriously, Ma'am."

Ma'am? Bonnie had to hide behind her closet door so as not to burst out laughing. When she peeked out again, Grams' expression had mellowed a lot.

"And you're not going to take advantage of an injured woman, or I'll have your head for it."

"Grams!" Bonnie huffed, feeling embarrassment creep up her spine, but both Enzo and Sheila ignored her.

"I'd never do that. I promise."

Grams eyed him warily, his smile unwavering as he stared back at her and Bonnie was almost a bit proud. He was handling himself better than most under the scrutiny of Sheila Bennett.

"Alright."

"You're more than welcome to check on her anytime you'd like," Enzo continued, making Sheila almost smile.

"I will take you up on that, and I won't announce my visits, either. Now do me a favor, young man, and give me a moment with my granddaughter."

"Of course." He half bowed to her, then pushed himself off the wall with a smirk at Bonnie. When his gaze fell on the now zipped up bag, he indicated it with an outstretched arm. "Can I bring this to the car?"

Nodding, she handed it to him, saying a quick, "Thanks."

"I'll wait outside for you…"

"Okay." She beamed, feeling a bit stupid when he left and her Grams stared at her knowingly.

"Baby girl, you're head over heels with this one," she noted, making Bonnie roll her eyes and blush.

"I'm not. He's… cute, though, isn't he?"

"Not sure that's the word I'd choose… At least he has good manners. But, Bonnie. Are you sure you want to do this? He's a former patient of yours, is he not? A… a client? You two will be working together again, and frankly, I'm not sure it's such a good idea to stay at the house of someone you barely even know."

"I've stayed with him before, Grams."

"That was different. You were not a week out from having been shot back then. And you were doing your job - at least that's what you told me…"

Bonnie had flopped down on her bed, her Grams now sitting down beside her, too, frowning. "That _was_ true, wasn't it? It was completely professional?"

Bonnie almost choked on an embarrassed chuckle. "Yes, Grams, it was completely professional."

"Now it'll be different…"

Gulping, Bonnie looked away, at the same time leaning more into her grandmother. "I know."

"Because you like the boy. - And he clearly adores you."

Bonnie shot Sheila a glance. "He _adores_ me?"

"Child, have you seen the look he gave you? Only one man ever looked at me like that. And it ended with me having your mom."

"Grams!" Blushing again, Bonnie had to chuckle, nudging Sheila as she did. "If it helps you, I don't intend to have children anytime soon. Besides, our relationship isn't like that."

"Yet."

"Oh gosh!" She did not want to talk about this with her Grams. At all. Slowly getting up, she shot the older woman another sheepish glance, growing awkwardly hot and tingly at the thought of… _that _in relation to Enzo St. John. Sure, the kissing and cuddling had been nice, but…

No. No no no no no. She couldn't think about this now. Not when she was about to go with this man and stay at his apartment.

"Don't pretend you haven't thought about it. I wasn't born yesterday… And he _is _quite handsome, and you're a gorgeous girl. It's only natural-"

"Please stop!" Bonnie begged, busying herself with getting her last few things together, trying to move slowly so as not to make the pain increase.

"Just promise me you'll be careful, child. And not just in regards to your injury."

"Okay, okay, okay. Anything you want. Just please… can we not talk about this anymore. You make me blush too much and then he'll notice."

When Bonnie turned around to look at her Grams again, the woman was smiling, nodding her head.

"You really do like him."

"Grams…"

"Okay, fine. I'll stop. And you… get on your way and let him treat you like a queen. If there are any complaints, I'll come and get you."

She had gotten up now too, wrapping Bonnie in a gentle hug again. "I love you, Bonnie."

"Love you, too, Grams."

* * *

…

When her phone rang, Caroline stared at the name popping up for a while before eventually picking up.

"I was hoping I'd see you at the game tonight," Klaus was saying, his voice getting under her skin instantly. It was probably for the best that he wasn't actually here or she'd fall for him again way too quickly. After everything that had gone down with Bonnie getting shot, Caroline had tried to keep her distance, focusing on her friends and her work again instead of letting herself get distracted by him.

"I'm sorry, I've been swamped at work this week, and-"

"Are you avoiding me?"

She bit her lip, trying to think on the spot. "What? No! I'm… it's just work, and with Bonnie at the hospital and everything, I really didn't have time to see any games."

"Of course. How is Ms. Bennett anyway?"

"She's… better. Got released today."

"I'll send her a help for the next week."

Caroline had to smile. He really could be rather sweet. The way he had helped his friends, had helped Bonnie… She might not appreciate his ways, but she could appreciate that.

"Actually… Bonnie is staying at Enzo's?"

"Is that a question? Because I thought Damon is staying at Enzo's…"

"Oh, um… maybe I got it wrong-"

"No, it's probably for the best that way. He can keep an eye on her and she on him. She's a better influence than Damon Salvatore."

"I don't doubt that." She chuckled, catching herself twirling her hair as if she was sitting across from him now, trying to flirt. Stopping abruptly, she sobered. "Yeah, well. I'll… I'll have to go now, I'm sorry, I'm really-"

"Busy, I understand… It was a pleasure as always, Caroline."

"Yeah…" Wait. He was giving up that easily? Not even trying to offer her help, or to make a date for the next time in two days, or to explain himself?

"Have a good-"

"No. You're not doing that," she interrupted him, shaking her head, forgetting all her good intentions. "You're not just gonna hang up like that. What about those… those _things_ you did to cover what really happened? I read the news. There's not a word about Enzo and Damon meeting Lily, not one word about Bonnie! Nothing about the kidnapping, or the suicide! Are you just gonna gloss over all that and pretend nothing happened? Because I was there, okay?! And I know what happened. And so do they, and what if someone finds out about it after all, and Bonnie gets implicated in what you did? It's a crime!"

"Caroline…" The way he drawled out her name made her tingle again and she was annoyed with her body for betraying her like that. She wasn't done yet after all.

And she was upset. Because she still wanted him. Ugh…

"No, you need to tell me how you did all that and how you intend to make sure it really doesn't come back to haunt my best friend."

"May I come over, then?"

Huffing, she rolled her eyes, already knowing where this would lead; and still she eventually said, "Yes."

* * *

…

For some strange reason, the whole first day at Enzo's apartment had not been in the least awkward. It should have been, Bonnie had expected herself to regret her decision the second Enzo picked her up to carry her all the way up those stairs. But instead it had been a gentle, caring moment, her with her arms slung around his neck, him holding her like a bride about to be carried across the threshold, and together they had made their way up.

He had been a bit out of breath at the end there after all, and she could tell that he was hiding some rib pain, but other than that, they had both been fine, and when he had set her down, her arms still around his neck, they had looked at each other for a long moment before eventually parting.

"Let's get you settled," he had said with a smile, offering her his arm like he was a gentleman accompanying her to a dance, then they had made it over to the spacious living room, where he had helped her sit down on the couch, putting her legs up and covering her with a light blanket.

"Thank you," she had muttered, before he had gone off to the kitchen, promising her to come back with something way better to eat than she had had at the hospital.

Now it had been hours, blissful hours of rest and good food and cuddling, and she found herself thinking she could get used to this. The domesticity, the calm, his presence…

"You alright, love?"

"Hm?"

He was sitting beside her, his legs on the coffee table, his arm casually around her shoulder, leaning his head against hers, and gosh, she liked that too. It felt too damn natural.

"We should get you to bed."

"Nah, I'm fine… I was just daydreaming a bit."

"Anything good?"

She smiled up at him, leaning in more. Closing her eyes for a moment, she realized she must have dozed off when she abruptly found herself in his arms again, on the way to the bedroom.

"Did I fall asleep on you? I'm sorry… these pain meds are doing a number on me."

"As they should. You need all the rest you can get. Come on, let's lay you down."

"You're not gonna sleep on the couch, though, okay? You'll sleep here. I promise I'll stay on my side," she said with a cheeky grin.

"The couch is fine."

"Enzo St. John. Do not fight me on this. Remember, you said you were gonna make sure I got all the rest I can get. And I can't rest knowing you're ruining your back sleeping on that couch."

He looked a bit exasperated, his jaw clenching, and she half expected him to fight her on this, but then he nodded, a short, curt gesture, and she saw a flicker of worry or unease go through his eyes before he broke into a smile again and the moment was forgotten.

"Alright, love. If you're sure that's what you want."

"Yup." She smiled as he put her down. "I also want to take a quick shower before going to bed…"

"Need any help?"

She chuckled at his boldness, playfully shaking her head. "I think I got it, but thanks."

"Alright, love. I'll leave you to it then. Holler if you need anything. I'll be in the living room for a little while longer…"

She watched as he walked out, a swagger to his gait she remembered from when she had first met him, and she had to smile to herself. How things had changed. Now she felt kinda turned on by it rather than being annoyed, as was true for his accent, too…

"Are you staring after me, love? Coz I can feel your gaze on me."

What?! She blushed - for the umpteenth time today - and tilted her head as he turned to look at her again, a wide smirk on his face.

"Maybe I was?" she allowed, grinning sheepishly as he kept walking backwards, all the while staring at her.

"Good," he said, making her roll her eyes at his cockiness.

Then he turned around again with a last wink and vanished into the living room, leaving her sitting on the edge of the bed with a wildly beating heart.

* * *

…

He was playing the guitar, slouching casually in a sofa chair by the large window front, when she came back to check on him.

Looking up, he smiled at her, his fingers resting on the strings as she came walking closer.

After her shower she had put on a cute pair of shorties and a t-shirt and he couldn't help but stare at her, his gaze growing a bit hungry before he averted it, running a hand over his face.

"I wanted to say goodnight," she muttered and when he dared look up again, she had taken a seat on the armrest of the couch, far enough away for him to try and keep his cool. But those legs...

"Goodnight, love."

"You're not coming yet?"

He held up his guitar, shaking his head. "I'll play a bit longer." Suddenly, he had Damon's whine in his ear, and scoffing, he added, "Unless it's too loud. I don't want to keep you up."

"It's fine. I like hearing you play..." Her smile was gorgeous, paralyzing him. And those eyes…

He swallowed, forcing himself to stay focused.

"Well then… - have a good night, Bonnie Bennett."

"You too, Enzo St. John."

As she got up slowly, then turned to walk, his gaze followed her, soaking up every movement of her hips, every-

"Are you staring after me?" she abruptly asked and he chuckled.

"Absolutely."

She looked at him, grinning cheekily. "Good." Then she turned around, holding the doorframe way too sensually as she went into the hallway with one last smile in his direction.

And suddenly he cursed himself for having asked her to come stay with him. Because she was still injured and it was going to be so bloody difficult to keep his hands off of her…

Forcing himself to play his guitar rather than with her, he closed his eyes, humming away as he did, letting the music distract him.

Until eventually, after an hour or so, he found himself getting too tired, and with a sigh, he put the instrument away, stretching out before getting up and making his way toward the bedroom.

When he got there, Bonnie was already fast asleep, laying cuddled up in a blanket, a pillow pressed to her side so she could be more comfortable, and he smiled at the sight.

Then he made his way into the bathroom, getting ready too, showering, brushing teeth, putting on some clean sweats and a shirt, before he walked back to the bed, sighing as he stopped a few inches short of it. Adjusting Bonnie's blanket, making sure she was warm, he watched her for another few seconds before turning to make his way back into the living room, when she called out to him with a voice raspy from sleep.

"You promised," she muttered, beckoning for him to come back, and he clenched his jaw, dropping his head down.

"I don't bite," she said, smiling up at him before her eyes closed again, and he shook his head, his heart beating way too fast.

It wasn't just because lying next to her would make staying away even harder. It was also because he couldn't let himself fall asleep with her there. Not with his awful nightmares... He shouldn't sleep. He couldn't…

"Enzo. Bed. Now."

"You're relentless, love."

"Just come sleep…"

Scoffing softly, he eventually gave up, climbing into bed, totally determined to stay at the other edge at least. But then she rolled over, cuddling up to him, and his heart rate rose even more.

No, this wasn't going to be easy...


	19. Nightmares and dreams come true

_Jade: Thanks as always! Yup, Damon is all for Bonenzo. lol. Just like we are… Happy you liked the Bonenzo scenes. And yeeees, I adore Grams, and I'm pretty sure she approves… :)_

_Guest: you're so kind! I'm trying my best, always hoping it translates onto the page at least semi okay. And what you're waiting for… we are getting there… :)_

_As for this chapter… fair word of warning, it gets a tiny bit into more than t-rating territory, hopefully nothing too awkward. lol_

_And I'm a bit on the fence about how it turned out, but since I don't want to let you all wait too much longer, I'll post it. If it's too awful, let me know._

* * *

…

The room was still dark, night still in full swing when Bonnie startled up. Something had disturbed her sleep and it took her a while to gain her bearings and realize what that was.

Or rather, who. Because when she rolled over onto her side, she noticed Enzo lying next to her, clearly asleep - and clearly suffering through some kind of nightmare.

Deja Vu. She had been there before with him, she remembered it all too clearly. Back then she had just not realized that this could be such a common occurrence...

His features were tense, his limbs thrashing, making the mattress move - which must have been what had woken her up. Now she sat up slowly, holding the pillow close to her stomach against the pain, and cautiously, she leaned over, freezing for a moment when she looked at him.

Maybe she should wake him… She _probably_ should. Yet, last time she had done this when she had been too close to him she had found herself trapped under him soon after. She hadn't been a match for him at all, and back then she had been healthy and he quite sick. This time, though, _she_ was the one injured and she wouldn't stand a chance.

If worse came to worst, she could end up tearing her stitches if she had to move too quickly to keep herself safe from him. Which could make it all worse again, not just her own injuries, her own trauma, but his, too.

Still, she had to do something.

"Enzo?" she therefore called out while getting a bit more distance between him and her. Unfortunately, he showed no reaction whatsoever. He was still asleep, still thrashing, his breathing rate picking up dangerously, and she was beginning to worry he could end up having another asthma attack if he didn't get this under control. But how if he was asleep?

"Enzo!"

She said it louder this time, and still, there was no reaction. This was really beginning to worry her. Was he dreaming about Lily? About that night? Bonnie didn't really want to know and yet she couldn't help wondering. The things she had learned about him, they'd give anyone nightmares.

She'd had a few herself after Lily had taken her… The unwelcome image of the woman with her face gone flickered through Bonnie's mind, bringing back memories of an awful musty smell of blood and death, and she gritted her teeth to force them away. Taking a deep breath, she contemplated her next move, thinking briefly that maybe she should wait. Or call Damon, just... something that didn't involve getting too close.

But then she looked at Enzo's troubled face and her heart welled over with sympathy, and she simply had to try and get him out of whatever hell he was stuck in. Right now.

"Enzo, wake up!" She was positively yelling and didn't care whether any potential neighbors could hear her. "Enzo, please… It's a dream. Wake up. Wake. Up! Wake up for me, come on!"

And then he did.

With a start, he jolted up, taking a gasping, heaving breath that made him instinctively press an arm against his side, then he stared at her and all Bonnie could do was extend her hands, her fingers carefully dancing across his arm as she tried to soothe him, remind him that she was here, that his dream - whatever it had been - was over, all the while staying at a distance.

Soon, his dark gaze filled with a little more recognition and Bonnie was glad he hadn't moved to attack, although her heart was still beating like crazy, threatening to jump right out of her throat.

"I'm sorry," he eventually muttered, running both hands over his face as he tried to breathe normally and not quite managing it. "Did I wake you up?"

"Don't worry about it…"

Bonnie tilted her head, taking him in as he slowly pushed the blanket off him, getting ready to stand up when she grabbed his arm.

"Enzo…"

"I'm sorry, love. You need your rest and that does not entail getting woken up by me in the middle of the night. I'll take the couch-"

He was evading her, but she wasn't going to let him. Not like that. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Or course he didn't, that much was crystal clear. The weary look he gave her only underscored it.

"Bonnie…"

"Last time I was here you had some pretty bad dream, too… I'm just worried about you, okay? If you have been sleeping this badly-"

"I haven't. It's… nothing. You don't need to worry about me."

She was still holding his arm, becoming aware of it when his gaze fell on her hand, just staying there. He moved his arm a little and she could feel his muscles dancing, could feel the warm skin.

"I do, though. Because I care about you," she allowed, earning herself a smile from him.

"And I care about you, Bonnie Bennett. Which is why I'll let you sleep now."

"Uh uh," she made, shaking her head and tightening her grip on him when he tried to get up. When she scooted over a bit more so she could check on his breathing, he backed away, eyeing her warily and for a second she had a sinking feeling in her stomach. Did he feel like she was a threat?

But by then her hand was already on his chest, and aside from the elevated breathing rate she could feel that his heart was thumping rather rapidly, too.

"Bonnie…"

She watched him swallow, his gaze hot on hers suddenly making her skin prickle.

"Do you need your inhaler? Maybe we should-"

"Stop," he said quite abruptly then, taking her hand off his chest as he looked at her with a too intense stare.

"Enzo, you need to get your breathing under control first before I let you go anywhere. After that, fine. If you don't want to talk about it yet, I understand. But I can't in good conscience let you leave without making sure you'll at least be physically alright. So, do you keep it on you like you should? In your pocket?"

She was beginning to look for the damn thing, not quite realizing what she was doing until he grabbed her arm rather hard, keeping her from touching him. Looking up as if she had been slapped, her heart jolted in her chest as she tried to wiggle her arm free.

"You can't do that," he muttered hoarsely, and she nodded, trying to find words.

"You're right." She swallowed, heat creeping up her body. "I overstepped. I didn't mean to make you feel uncomf-"

"You have no idea _how_ you make me feel, love…"

He left the rest unspoken, but she had the acute feeling that it wasn't anything remotely "uncomfortable." He was still holding her arm, his thumb caressing her, and it felt too good. Her thumping heart and burning cheeks only drove the point home even more.

Minutes passed with them just sitting on the bed, staring at each other, until Bonnie finally shook herself out of it, trying to smile, if a bit awkwardly.

"You'll still need to use your inhaler," she muttered, making him scoff. But eventually he let go of her, doing as he was told.

"Now go back to sleep."

"I'd still rather you-"

"Sleep, Bonnie Bennett."

She rolled her eyes, giving up. "Okay… But-"

"_Sleep_."

His disarming smile made her huff, his nonchalant wave chuckle. She was growing soft around this man, wasn't she? Allowing him to get away with his diversion tactics. But only for now, and only because she was so tired…

* * *

…

As soon as he had made it out of the room, his facade crumbled and he ran his hands through his hair as he walked toward the living room, changing his mind before actually going in there.

What that girl did to him… He had barely been able to stay focused, his mind having ideas of its own. On the plus side, it had quickly made him forget what he had been dreaming about, had made him forget Lily for a few sweet minutes, and it had made him feel rather awake for two o'clock at night.

Now he was left feeling all hot and bothered and there was only one thing he could think of doing that might help with all that. It would kill time, too, time until the morning.

Turning into his gym room, he gave himself another moment to completely catch his breath, then he began with some of the lighter weights, forcing himself to be mindful of his ribs so he wouldn't jeopardize his return to regular practice next week.

Thinking of Bonnie in her tiny shorts and v-neck t-shirt that had revealed just enough to make his imagination go crazy, he cursed himself, then chose some heavier weights, continuing on.

This was going to be a damn long night. The cold shower he needed right now would have to wait until later because he couldn't risk waking her up again.

He was supposed to take care of her after all.

Then why the hell didn't his body seem to get that? Or his mind?

At least it was still better than...

Shaking his head to keep himself from thinking about it, he put on more weights and kept going, needing it all to just leave his bloody mind.

* * *

…

Mornings came and went for a while there, two weeks passing, and Bonnie felt herself growing healthier and stronger, and used to the new domesticity she and Enzo had going. Like a well-oiled couple, they went about their business. When she woke up in the mornings, he was usually already busy in the kitchen, making her omelettes and waffles, and the occasional hash browns, and once even beans on toast, claiming it was an English classic. Then they'd rest on the couch or go for walks, with him always carrying her down and up the stairs despite all her protests.

"When you're truly feeling better, I'll let you walk them again," he'd say, "Until then… it's my sworn duty that I carry you wherever you need to go."

She'd chuckle and say something in return and she'd end up mock-thanking him for letting her walk at least for a while once they were on even ground.

By evening, they usually ended up making some music together, he playing the guitar, she humming and singing to whatever tune he came up with, and she was realizing during those times especially how much she cared about him, how much she was beginning to feel for him.

There was so much more to him than just "being a baller", and she adored his love for music. He had a pretty nice singing voice, too, but so far he was usually too reluctant to let her hear it, claiming he'd rather hear her voice instead.

They'd have dinner together, watch some shows on the couch, cuddling as if they had been doing this for years, and there was only really one thing missing between them now - but that was growing and growing, turning into the proverbial elephant in the room.

UST.

Bonnie rolled her eyes thinking about it now, shooting him a sheepish sideways glance where he was sitting beside her, his arm around her shoulders as they pretended to watch the latest Hybrids game.

"Oooh, dang. They really need you back. That's just awful," she said, picking up on a bunch of missed shots, using it as a chance to distract herself from the thought of sex.

Even the mere word made her feel flushed…

"Yeah. Nik is… not pleased."

She gave him a look, nodding. "I bet. Caroline said he's been rather short tempered lately."

Enzo tilted his head, smirking. "Those two are still hanging out then… That explains a lot."

Bonnie frowned. "Oh yuh? Why?"

"He hasn't been to see us at practice all week - which is quite unheard of. He likes to supervise the entire franchise… I'm sure you've noticed."

Oh yeah, she had. Klaus was a meddling "supervising" pro… Biting her lip, she kept herself from commenting on it, however, not willing to bring back dark memories into this moment. She wasn't even sure just how much Enzo knew about what Klaus had done to keep the whole thing with Lily under wraps, how much Klaus had really done for him in the past, either. There was that time when the man had helped Damon get Enzo out of that awful hospital for one…

"Yeah," she just replied, deciding to change the focus of their conversation, asking, "How's practice anyways?"

He grinned at her as she looked up to him, snuggling up a bit more when he leaned into her.

"It's good."

"Yuh? Ribs not giving you too much trouble?"

He had been back for roughly a week, only light exercise so far but she could tell how much he had needed it, how much more relaxed and himself he was when he had an outlet. The strange thing about it all was staying in his apartment while he was gone…

"No, doctor. Everything is fine."

"Hm…"

Frowning, he cupped Bonnie's chin, making her look at him. "What is going on in that pretty head of yours?"

"I just… it's been two weeks, and you've taken really good care of me, just like you promised, and while I've grown used to being treated like a princess, I think it might be time for me to get back to things, too. Attend practice…"

"You miss me when I'm gone!" He smirked, then chuckled when she nudged him playfully.

"Psh. I miss _working_. I want to come back. Which means I should probably move back home."

There was such an abrupt shift in mood that Bonnie felt slightly shaken. His gaze was different, the smirk gone, replaced by…

… something that made her skin prickle, her core tingle.

"You're welcome to stay…"

She smiled. "I can't have you carry me around forever. I feel a lot better. And you've been great. Totally repaid me."

_Totally repaid me?!_ No, she hadn't just said that, had she? Ugh… She wished she could take it back, because she could see something shutter closed behind his eyes rather abruptly and she wanted to yell at herself. Why the hell had she said that? It made it sound like…

"That's not how I meant it," she tried to explain, feeling rather stupid. "It's… it was lovely and you did so much for me when you didn't have to. And I like it here, I like _you…_ But I don't want to impose and… ugh, Bonnie Bennett, why can't you keep your mouth shut. - I ruined it, didn't I?"

The smile she got in reply would have pulled the ground from under her hadn't she been sitting.

"You're thinking too much into it, love."

"I…" Was she? Had she imagined that strange guarded look he had given her? Interpreted it the wrong way? Before she had a chance to get to the bottom of that, however, he leaned over, and cupping her face in his hands, he kissed her.

"I want you to stay, Bonnie Bennett," he muttered, not smirking anymore, not smiling, his eyes drinking her in in a way that made her feel too hot…

"Yeah?" From one second to the next she didn't have enough words anymore… just… her body speaking for her. As he moved his arm, his hand against her neck, her face, to pull her closer toward him, their lips grazing, she slid over onto his lap, her injury only giving her a brief sting of discomfort, nothing that could discourage her this time. Not anymore. She wanted this so bad...

Two weeks of trying to stay away, of telling her over imaginative and taunting mind to stop had been enough, and the way he looked at her now, a half question in his gaze, his hands at her sides, holding her, told her he was more than ready too…

Leaning forward, she kissed him with more force than she ever had before, a sudden need making her bold. Her tongue was dancing with his before his lips trailed down from her mouth to her neck, nibbling, going down... She helped him pull her shirt off, then tugged at his, needing to feel his skin, too, his heat, his touch.

His hands were on her, holding her as he abruptly lifted her up, her legs coming around to straddle him as he gently laid her down on the couch, his arm muscles doing their thing as he leaned down to gaze at her.

Her heart was beating way too fast, her insides starting to tingle as he tilted his head, still not touching her again, just staring, and her hands began to move of their own accord, tugging at the waistband of his pants, sliding in until she could hold him, his gaze growing almost too intense for her to bear.

"Fuck me," she heard herself beg, a more rational voice somewhere in the back of her head feeling slightly embarrassed by it all.

"You sure about this, Bonnie Bennett?"

The way he said her name…

"Yes."

He didn't need to be told twice, but he also didn't rush anything, and it made her feel so damn desperate. How he gently, carefully pulled her shorts down for her, her panties, his fingers trailing the soft skin on the insides of her thighs, his gaze soaking her up, taking her in.

Unclasping her bra, he bared her entire body, making the tingle grow tenfold, and her breath left in a shudder as he finally dove down, kissing his way from her mouth, her neck, her chest, her breasts… always further down, trailing the divide down her stomach until he reached her core, and she gasped as he touched her there, too, so gentle at first, looking up between her legs to make sure she was doing okay… And she wanted to say something, to nod or smile, but instead she bucked up, pushing herself to meet him, briefly gasping as her body still protested and he paused, lifting his head to look at her.

"If this is too early…"

"Oh gosh, no! Please… I'm fine."

"I don't want to hurt you."

"You're not. You won't." She chuckled briefly, feeling flushed and out of breath. But please, for the love of everything, she needed him to do this, to continue, to not stop until…

Then he did, with soft tender strokes at first, finding a rhythm, then more insistently, his tongue, his fingers everywhere, circling, hot and oh so good, and Bonnie rode it out, her hands in his hair, until she was right there, right there, and shaking and shivering she felt herself cum, writhing under his touch now until she had to giggle and half beg him to stop.

"I need you inside me," she urged, tugging at him as he grinned at her briefly, not needing to be told twice before he did as she had told him to, and she clasped her legs around him, clutching his shoulder, his back, not caring that her injury still protested somewhat under the motions; she just needed this too desperately now. It had been too damn long, too damn long and he was too damn hot to wait…

.

When they laid together afterward, spent, sweaty, and a bit out of breath, she chuckled against his chest, making him smile-frown at her.

"What's so funny?"

She shrugged, grinning. "Nothing, really. I'm just… gosh, can I tell you how much I've been wanting to do this?"

His expression was priceless, making her chuckle even more.

"You and me both, love... You have no idea how difficult it was to stay away."

"Oh I think I do…"

"Yuh?"

"Uh huh…" She chuckled when she realized he was kind of ready again, placing a hand against his chest as she shook her head. "And while I'd love to go for round two, I'm thinking we should at least try and take it easy. You have practice early tomorrow and I wanna go back to work so we should probably try and get some sleep."

"If we have to…"

She smiled at him, nodding. "Maybe we can talk about all this tomorrow, too. What we wanna do about this."

"This? You mean, us. And if I have any say in the matter, I still believe you should stay here."

His determination was both endearing and unnerving. It was probably ridiculous - after all they had spent quite a few weeks living together already - but for some reason she wasn't sure she was ready yet for this step. Moving in together for real… Giving up her place away from here.

What if things didn't work out? What if it would become awkward once she went back to work?

With a sigh, she smiled at him. "I'm just…"

"Not ready," he finished for her and she nodded, surprised when he smiled at her. "That's alright, love. We'll take it slowly. However much time you'll need."

"Thank you," she muttered, cuddling up some more, relieved and happy that he was so understanding.

This - their thing - it could really be good.

Scratch that: it _was _good...

* * *

…

Weeks came and went, one, two, three… By the fifth, Bonnie was completely back in her old routines. Spending time with Damon to get him back on track so he could return to the court, assisting Luke with taking care of the team, hanging out at Enzo's for dinner and cuddling on the couch and… other things…

She was back at the games, enjoying the thrill of being at the stadium, watching Enzo play again. And play he did. As if he had never been gone.

She also got to hang out with her girlfriends again, all of them chatting about the boys in their lives, Klaus, Elijah, Enzo… All three of them in rather different relationships.

Elena and Elijah were mostly still carefully dancing around each other, pretending they were only hanging out to talk about that Hybrids hospital in the making.

Bonnie and Enzo… were getting more serious every day, but still skirting the subject of moving in.

And Caroline and Klaus... had a dangerous thing going, something involving all the sex and virtually no cuddles, much to Caroline's chagrin. She was also constantly berating herself for falling for him over and over again. As if she was unable to resist his charm.

"Well, you kinda are," Bonnie said, making her friend glare at her now where they all sat on the bleachers, her two friends keeping her company during her break, and she had to chuckle, Elena chiming in.

They were all going to go grab a coffee after today's practice session, Bonnie just needed to wait for the team to finish while the three of them sat watching the goings-on below, chatting.

"Klaus, he's just… ugh. I don't know. He gets under my skin."

"And you always fall for it," Elena said, chuckling, turning to Bonnie when she said, "But what about you, Bon? You guys seem quite cozy…"

She made a face, feeling herself blush. "Things are going well, I guess."

"You talked about moving in together again?" Caroline asked and before she could reply Elena blurted, "That's still way too early. I'm glad you're being careful, Bon."

"Come on." Caroline scoffed. "You're just saying that because you and Elijah haven't done the deed yet."

"Care…" Bonnie gave her a warning glance, noticing the mood tipping.

"What?" she retorted. "It's true, though, isn't it? If E and E had slept together, she wouldn't ask twice about your plans with Enzo. She's pretending to be worried about you - but you two have already spent more than four weeks living together and almost two months of dating. With lots of sex, going by how tired and exhausted your poor boy down there looks."

"Caroline!" Bonnie's cheeks were positively burning, even though of course she was used to her best friend's love for candid talk. She was right, too, Enzo did look awfully tired. Maybe they should take it easy for a little while… Frowning, she returned her focus to her friends when she heard Care chuckle.

The blonde was grinning at her cheekily, ignoring poor Elena's much more glum expression.

"Hey, that's a good thing, Bon. We're all happy for you. You deserve it. Although I still think we need more details on this relationship. Like, just how good _is _the sex, and-"

"Care! Stop it, have some mercy." Bonnie chuckled as she begged, holding her side that every so often still liked to remind her of that awful night when she had gotten shot.

"You okay?" both her friends asked at the same time, looking at her with sudden worry, but she waved it off.

"I'm fine…" She sighed, looking at where Enzo and his teammates were running suicides, an exercise that always made her worry about him because of his lungs…

Shooting a glance over to where Luke was standing, she slowly got up.

"I need to get back down there, okay? Break's over… You girls promise me not to argue, yeah? Care? 'Lena?"

"Only if you provide us with the details later." Caroline winked at Elena, both girls laughing now, and Bonnie shook her head, ready to ignore it for the sake of peace among them as she made her way down.

She was still chuckling to herself, exchanging a glance with Luke who was waving over to her, when she saw someone stop and stumble down on the court, her subconscious already knowing who it was before she had quite turned to look.

Enzo.

He had stopped running midway, hands against his sides as he took a few slow steps. Jerking his chin up as if to try and take some deep breaths, he kept going until his body lost all tension and he collapsed onto the ground abruptly, making Bonnie's heart stop.

"Enzo!" she called out, breaking into a run, panicking. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Luke do the same, the assistant coach and Alaric, too, and some of Enzo's teammates.

They had been too happy, hadn't they? This was what she got for believing it could stay that way…

...


	20. Breakdown breakthrough

_Guest: I know… I'm sorry! We'll delve more into it now! Curious to find out how you like it... :)_

_Jade: yeah, for sure! lol. Enzo has it bad (I can't blame him. Bon is super hot! And kind!) and so does Bonnie (can't blame her either. Enzo is also super hot. lol) Let's see where it'll lead them…_

_..._

_Juno has probably moved on from reading TVD fics but I remember that she went to a Michael Malarkey concert and I keep thinking how cool that must have been. I just adore the man's voice. lol. And his ridiculously good looks. To me he's easily the hottest of all the guys, and Bonnie the hottest of the girls. Another reason why they're just soooo good together._

_Remember that episode with the necklace toward the middle of seaoson 8? Bonnie in that gorgeous green dress? Them dancing? Swooon._

_Okay, sorry, I got distracted there for a bit. On we go with this quite… tough chapter. Let me know what you think. Please..._

* * *

…

The minute he spotted Caroline Forbes sitting down in the bleachers, Klaus decided to go over there and say his greetings. The girl Elijah was so fond of lately was there, too, and he nudged his brother, interrupting their work related conversation.

"Let's take a break," he said, making Elijah frown in annoyance, until he followed his younger brother's jerk of the head. "You can tell Ms. Gilbert all about the good news," Klaus told him with a wink. They had finally found a building for the hospital they had so far only talked about as a mere idea, and things were slowly but surely beginning to get underway for an actual realization of that plan.

"I want her on the team," Elijah said by way of reply, and Klaus nodded.

"We shall see when the time comes. If you still think so then…"

Elijah gave a roll of his eyes, ready to retort, when they both noticed a commotion down on the court, and Klaus's eyes narrowed into a squint.

"This looks like I'm not going to like it," he grumbled, and when he heard Bonnie Bennett call out his currently best player's name, he clenched his teeth in anger. Not Lorenzo. Not again. Not when their chance to make the playoffs was growing smaller and smaller already. They needed him, _he _needed him, but the kid's shot health was starting to become a goddamn liability. Without Salvatore there to keep him in check, to take the brunt of the workload, Lorenzo was going to burn out soon if they didn't get this under control.

It wouldn't have been so bad if that stupid Lily Salvatore hadn't made her reappearance at the worst possible time. The trauma that woman had stirred up again… Klaus tightened his hands into fists, trying to contain his anger and frustration as he rushed down to the court, Elijah just a few feet behind.

"What's going on?" he asked as soon as he had arrived at his destination, staring down a flustered looking coach Saltzman, who kneeled down beside his best player, right next to Bonnie Bennett and Luke Parker, who were both already checking Enzo's vitals. "How's he doing?"

"Um…" Bonnie began shakily, stopping again, and Luke continued in her stead.

"He collapsed during suicide drills. Hasn't regained consciousness. Heart rate is elevated, lungs not working at full capacity."

"So… what? Is this his asthma?"

Bonnie shook her head. "No, this is… more." She sounded awfully worried and he was beginning to seriously wonder whether it had been such a good idea after all to let her return to the medical staff.

"What's the plan of action?"

"Uh… he needs the hospital," Parker stuttered when Bonnie was too busy attending to Enzo. "Already called an ambul-"

Abruptly, Klaus lunged forward, grabbing the doc by the neck. "You did what." It didn't come out as a question because it bloody wasn't! His anger grew to uncontrollable levels and if it hadn't been for Elijah pulling him back right then, Klaus wasn't sure what he would have done.

"Niklaus. Calm down. The doc made the right decision. We can't deal with this here," Elijah hissed, pointing at an ashen and unconscious Enzo on the ground, who looked almost dead.

This was a bloody clusterfuck. His two star players out, DeShawn still not ready to play longer stretches… Was he supposed to make the bloody playoffs with the bench guys and rookies alone?!

He had let go of Parker, beginning to pace, trying to think. Then he pulled out his phone, calling the only number he could call in this situation.

"If it ain't the big-"

"Damon," Klaus cut him off before he could continue with his usual spiel and something in his tone must have alerted his injured star to the urgency of the call because for once he actually stopped.

"It's Enzo, isn't it?"

Klaus raised his eyebrows, mildly impressed with Damon's quick deduction.

"We have a problem. An ambulance is on its way to pick him up. And we both know that won't end well…"

"What happened? Can't BonBon-"

"Ms. Bennett is attending to him as we speak. But he's been unconscious for minutes and she won't be able to treat him at home this time. I don't know what the hell is going on with him, but I'm blaming your bloody family for it, Salvatore, so _you _need to come and fix this. I need the kid. _We_ need him. You know what's at stake here."

"Yeah, of course. - Shit," Damon cursed to himself, then Klaus heard him take a deep breath. "I'm on my way."

Klaus hung up after that without so much as a goodbye, pushing the phone back into his pocket. Briefly, his gaze met that of Caroline, the blonde standing at the edge of the court now, side-hugging Elijah's crush, and just for that one moment, he felt able to stay grounded, to not explode.

He had the smallest smile for her, tried nodding encouragingly because she looked so worried, then he had to tear himself away from her so he could go back to Lorenzo.

Someone had to make sure the kid wasn't going to freak if he woke up on the ride to or at the hospital, and that someone could only be him now. And...

"Ms. Bennett, when the ambulance arrives," he ordered once he was back by her side, "you're coming."

She looked up at him briefly, nodding. There was so much fierce determination in her features that he almost had to smile. While he thought the girl was an unnecessary distraction for St. John, he could admit that she also had a good influence on him, and Klaus was certain they'd need that before long.

* * *

…

Bonnie's heart was beating too fast. She was sitting next to Enzo in the ambulance, every so often exchanging a glance with Klaus freaking Mikaelson, who for some reason had decided that he needed to be on this ride, too. And maybe it was for the better. She could really use someone who still had their head screwed on right, because she was currently still trying really hard not to panic.

Enzo was still out, his breathing erratic, his skin clammy, his heart rate way too high, and she was getting worried he'd have a heart attack if they didn't get him to the damn hospital soon. What was going on with him? It was almost like he was… completely exhausted, battle weary.

And why the hell hadn't she seen how bad he was doing?

Suddenly she remembered Caroline's casual remark from earlier, how tired and exhausted he had looked, and Bonnie bit her lip when she realized just how right her friend had been.

She should have seen it, too, way earlier. She had been spending so much time with him… And yes, she had noticed that he was tired, but she had put that down to the fact that she stayed over late rather often, both of them too horny and in love for their own good, unable to stay away from each other…

Now Enzo was paying the price, and she felt… awful.

Sniffling, she tried to pull herself together so as not to break down right in front of Klaus. But it wasn't easy.

"He'll be alright," the man suddenly addressed her, and she looked up, acutely aware of her hand stroking Enzo's cheek in a rather unprofessional way.

Nobody seemed to care…

She huffed, surprised when she saw a sympathetic smile on Klaus's face. "You know Lorenzo, he's come back from worse. And now he actually has a reason to." He gave her a pointed look that made her chuckle. Had he really just said that, meaning her? Was that Klaus Mikaelson's way of telling her he approved of her unseemly relationship with his employee?

There wasn't time for her to think about it any longer, however, as right then they arrived at the hospital, the doors to the ambulance being opened quickly, making her blink.

As a hospital team rushed to Enzo's help, she tried to tell them all what she knew, stating his vitals, making sure to mention his underlying condition, gasping when he was wheeled away, her hand feeling empty as she lost her grip on him.

"We got this now," someone told her and she nodded dumbly, torn between pushing her way in with them and staying to the side as she should, when Klaus appeared by her side, half shoving her toward where they were wheeling the stretcher.

"You need to stay with him, at all times," he told her so urgently that she had to frown. "You've read his files," he reminded her, not needing to spell out what he meant, and she nodded, feeling the lump in her throat grow even more. What if Enzo woke up finding himself here? At the one place he hated the most?

Klaus was right. She couldn't leave Enzo alone, not for a second, not in here. So she inhaled deeply, squared her shoulders, then ran after them.

"Ma'am," someone cautioned when she had caught up, but she shook it off, speaking before they could.

"I'm the team doctor. He's my patient, my responsibility, and I'm not leaving him alone."

"You don't have privileges at this hospital," a woman informed her, and Bonnie grinned at her. It wasn't a friendly grin.

"Did you hear that?" she asked, looking behind her where Klaus was approaching, fast.

"I'll take care of it, you go in. Stay by his side. Do not let them send you out."

"Sir, you can't just strongarm your way into our hospital like that. There are rules. No matter who you are."

"Are you sure about that?" Bonnie heard him say with a sneer in his voice, but she didn't wait around to hear the rest. Pushing open the doors to the exam room they had put Enzo in, she took in the scene briefly, then she stepped in and straight toward him.

"We need to get his heart rate to go down, hook him up to oxygen, too. Saturation is shit," someone said, and Bonnie nodded, getting to work as if she was part of the team, and no one in there questioned it.

He was hers to take care of.

He was hers.

* * *

…

"Push fluids. Kid is so dehydrated it's a miracle this didn't happen earlier. What kind of practice routines do you guys use, goddammit?!"

The voices and noises filtered into Enzo's conscience first. Then his eyes flickered open and he found himself straight in a bloody nightmare.

Taking a few heaving breaths, trying to fight a rising panic, he shot up to someone loudly exclaiming, "Whoa whoa."

There were people in scrubs around him, an IV in his arm, monitors. Something was beeping horribly, the noise accelerating as he wildly stared around trying to comprehend what the hell had happened and how he had ended up here.

A man with short gray hair came over, pushing against his chest - to get him to lie down again - and for a split second Enzo was certain it was Dr. Whitmore himself, the charlatan who had torture-treated him back at the Augustine Society's hospital.

But no, this man was too young. Still, this was a bloody hospital and-

"Enzo. Enzo, you're okay. You collapsed during practice, do you remember?"

"If he's not gonna calm down, we'll have to sedate him."

"You are not going to do that!"

He tried to breathe, still fighting against the hands pushing him back down. The beeping was going crazy, making him feel light-headed, but he couldn't just let them-

"Enzo? Can you look at me?"

Bonnie. There she was, like an anchor in a stormy sea. She had pushed her way closer to him, her hands cupping his face, and she was smiling.

"Look at me. Not the others. We're all here to help you, okay? I know you hate hospitals, and hopefully you won't have to stay too long, but you need to calm down."

He shook his head, narrowing his eyes. No, not a chance, he couldn't just calm down and let them do whatever the hell it was they wanted to do.

"I need to get. Out of here," he half wheezed out, gradually becoming aware that there was another problem now, the bloody asthma acting up at the worst possible moment.

"I know, but-"

"Sir," someone else spoke over Bonnie, "you need to relax or we'll have to give you something to _make_ you relax. Do you understand?"

"You're not. Gonna bloody. Give me any… meds." He rolled his eyes, cursing his body for doing this to him. Cursing himself… He was beginning to see what had happened, could feel it, too. His body was aching all over, and he was so awfully exhausted it wasn't even funny anymore. All those nights of the last few weeks in which he'd been unable to ward himself off against past memories, not getting enough sleep, instead just training in his gym… This was the payback, wasn't it?

"Enzo." Bonnie was shoving an oxygen mask over his mouth, and he had to subdue the urge to fight her, too. "Do you trust me?" she now said, staring hard at him, and all he could do was stare right back, trying to catch his bloody breath. "Do you trust me?" she repeated, and eventually he nodded, a small gesture but apparently good enough, because she nodded back, smiling at him, then briefly exchanging a glance with that other doctor. "Dr. Collins thinks you might have overdone it a bit at practice lately, while not taking care of yourself. Enzo… have you been eating alright? Drinking? Sleeping?"

He shook his head to all of the above. But his brain was so foggy. He kept staring at Bonnie, unaware that he was clutching her arm rather desperately until her gaze fell on his hand. And even then, he couldn't stop. If she was here it wasn't so bad, right? This wasn't the past. He wasn't going to-

"Breathe, okay?" her soothing voice pulled him back before he could drift off further, her gaze anchoring him in the here and now. "With me… In… and out… in... out… Remember how we did that last time?"

He wasn't sure whether he was really nodding or just imagining it, everything was just so… hazy. But he tried, he tried to follow her lead.

That other doctor leaned in, whispering something to Bonnie and Enzo was immediately on edge again. What was the man talking about with her? What was he doing?

"Bonnie," he said, trying to get up again, "I can't stay here. Don't make me stay. Don't make me stay…"

"Shh..." Her face was crumpling and he had a feeling it was mirroring his own expression.

"I can't do this. Not again, not again, not…"

He was trying to tear out the IV, growing more frantic. Somewhere in his brain he knew he was acting irrationally, like a lunatic and that he should probably get a grip or they'd commit him.

"Enzo, stop. If you don't, _I_ will be the one sedating you, okay? And I'd really rather not. So far I could persuade them not to do it, but your heart rate is scary high, and you're in the middle of another asthma attack and if we can't get that under control…"

He stared at her with raw panic, unable to think properly anymore, he just… couldn't do this, not again. They might as well just kill him.

"Bonnie…"

"I'll be with you the entire time, okay? I'm not going anywhere. Just… please let me help you. Let them help you. Okay?"

She looked so worried and at the same time in control. Like she really knew what she was doing and he almost had to chuckle. He was kind of proud of her. If only…

"I'm not going anywhere," she repeated. "I'll be right here with you."

Closing his eyes, he tried to breathe, eventually letting himself fall back against the raised back rest, but not letting go of her. When he looked up again, she was smiling at him, nodding.

"It's gonna be okay," she told him, "It'll be okay."

He felt himself getting dragged down, but he was too exhausted to fight it anymore. He just kept staring at her as long as he could, needing to know that she was there, was really going to stay.

He was just so bloody tired. So tired…

* * *

…

Bonnie tried her best to stay professional but it was so goddamn hard. And she felt like she had betrayed Enzo.

Once he was finally out, she looked up at Dr. Collins, feeling shaky when she whispered a "Thank you."

The man had managed to sneak a sedative into Enzo's vein while Bonnie had tried to distract him. Thankfully, he hadn't noticed it, and as she watched his heart rate and breathing slowly normalize, she knew it had been the right decision, and yet she felt awful.

"You did good, Dr. Bennett. Poor kid was getting himself all worked up," Dr. Collins said, patting her shoulder, and she nodded at him, stifling a sob. "We'll get psych to pay him a visit."

"What?"

Collins shrugged, checking the IV as they eventually got Enzo ready to move into a room.

"Looked like some kind of PTSD," he said matter-of-factly, and for some reason his tone angered Bonnie. Biting her tongue, she turned around, forcing herself to stay civil. The man had a point, of course, and she'd be stupid to ignore that.

"He's had a lot of stress lately. I should have seen this," she muttered. "I'm on the medical staff, and I didn't… I didn't see how bad he was."

Collins shrugged, as they began wheeling the bed out. "With these guys it's often hard to tell. Pro athletes, celebrities, they have a different life than us mortals." He chuckled. "A lot of stress gets put on them, it's all about appearances, performance. This kid here? He has had a breakthrough season if I recall correctly. A lot of pressure on him… And now some injuries. But I don't need to tell you this. You were there of course…"

Oh, he had no idea what all she had been there for…

"Yup," she said, trying to grin, and he nodded at her.

"I can have a nurse stay with him if you think he might-"

"No I got it, thanks. It's my job," she said, hoping he didn't see right through her and could tell it wasn't just her job, but the wink he gave her kind of made her realize he was on to her.

"Okay, Dr. Bennett," he said as they got to the room and began hooking the monitors back up. "Let's hope the kid gets some good rest now and then I'm sure things will look much better tomorrow. - Saturation is a lot better already. The Albuterol did its job at least. Still some bronchospasms but nothing too worrying…"

"Yeah…" Stroking Enzo's arm absently, she watched him sleep, hoping Collins was right. Maybe once he had gotten some rest, Enzo would be a bit more rational again and not freak out right away. But she knew she needed to get him out of here soon either way. And then… talk about what had happened.

She was only vaguely aware of Collins pushing a chair at her, and with a brief "Thank you" she sat down, barely noticing when the man left.

Grabbing Enzo's arm, she kept looking at him, just waiting...

* * *

...

It hadn't been long enough since his last visit at a hospital. Damon made a face as he walked in through the entrance, beelining for the first official looking hospital worker he saw.

"Excuse me," he called out, using his best flirty smile for the nurse, checking the name tag. "Jared. I'm looking for a friend. Enzo St. John?"

"Oh my gosh, you're the vampire!" someone suddenly hollered behind him and he made a face, urging Jared to give him a quick reply.

"Guys, that's… that's Damon Salvatore! Oh my gosh…"

The nurse clicked his tongue, having mercy on him. "The other Hybrids player?" he asked, and Damon nodded.

"That'd be him, yeah…"

The other man sighed, but nodded ahead. "Follow me. - Stacey," he called out to a colleague, jerking his head in the direction of a security guard and as Damon began following Jared along the hallway, he could see the guard making his way to keep those fans at bay. He took a deep breath.

"I appreciate that."

"No one needs a crowd at the hospital…"

"You can say that again."

"So, your teammate, he's on third floor. They just admitted him."

Damon made a face, swallowing an expletive. "That really necessary?" he then asked as Jared dropped him off at an elevator.

"We don't keep anyone here for fun."

"Obviously." Damon rolled his eyes. Jared was a snarky one. "What for are you keeping him, though?"

"I can't tell you that. You'll have to speak to his doctors."

Sighing, he nodded. At least there was no family to go through first. Every bad thing had an upside... He made his way to the respective floor quickly, spotting Klaus before he'd had a chance to wonder where to go looking for Enzo. Wagging an eyebrow at the man, he limped over, Klaus meeting him half way.

"Any update?"

"I told you, it's your mother."

Damon frowned, scoffing. "She's dead, Klaus."

"She bloody offed herself right in front of the kid, messed up his head."

"Obviously it wasn't pretty, but I doubt that's the reason he's here now." Swallowing, he tried to not let Klaus's words affect him, but it was already too late. Clenching his teeth at the memory of Lily, he followed the pesky team owner closer to what had to be Enzo's room.

"Doctors seem to think he hasn't been sleeping for a while," Klaus stated, hands deep in the pockets of his coat, and Damon shot him a sideways glance.

"Everybody sleeps. Except vampires maybe, but we all know those don't _actually_ exist."

"Damon…" Clearly, Klaus was not in the mood and Damon pressed his lips together, shrugging.

"Alright, so… he has insomnia now or something? Is that it? That made him pass out?" Just how badly sleep deprived _was_ the kid?

"They suspect trauma…" Damon got a pointed stare.

_Well, duh_, Damon thought but didn't say. They both knew that before… Still, the man's tone had raised his hackles, as if it had been a direct attack. "And that's my fault, how?"

"Not yours. Your bloody mother's. I don't know what all she's done to him, but it has wrecked him. She's still in his head, and he's not sleeping. Which in turn is wrecking his body. They called it an extreme case of exhaustion. His blood levels are apparently atrocious, his lungs not working as they should. He's developed a mild case of bloody pneumonia under our medical team's supervision. Now! Weeks after he initially got injured! That should not have been an issue anymore. Especially with all the work Ms. Bennett has been putting in."

"_Dr_. Bennett," Damon interjected, making Klaus glare at him. The Mikaelson anger was beginning to rear its head but Damon only sighed tiredly. None of that sounded very good.

"My boy didn't take very good care of himself, methinks..."

"An understatement." Klaus paused, running his hands through his hair before he looked at Damon again. "He should have known better. It's not just about him here… We need him healthy. You're still nowhere near ready to come back, Damon, but our team needs a few wins. We need Lorenzo. Now he'll be out for at least another couple weeks, possibly longer. - What a bloody shitshow." Klaus kicked the wall, making a few people look up and Damon shot them an apologizing smile.

"Klaus…"

The man poked him in the chest. "_You _need to make sure he sees a bloody therapist this time, actually works through this crap. For now I got _Dr_. Bennett to stay with him because we all know what a mess it is that he is _in here._"

"I know. I'll stay, too-"

"Do what you have to, just make sure he's back at practice ASAP."

With that Klaus finally let go of him, taking a few steps back before he began pacing. Damon watched him for a moment before he pointed at the room, jerking his head.

"I'll go check on him," he announced, not waiting for a reaction, then made his way over and into the room with a sigh…

When he entered, Bonnie, who was sitting next to Enzo, briefly looked up, and Damon gave a half wave of the hand, smiling at her.

"As much as I love you, Bonnie, we need to stop seeing each other like this."

She scoffed, not playing along. He couldn't really blame her. The sight of Enzo all pale and unconscious in a hospital bed reminded him of things he'd wished to never revisit. To imagine what it would be like for his friend…

Damon closed his eyes, forcing himself to block it all out.

"I'll tell you something. As soon as he's out of here and I'm finally done with my physical therapy, we'll all have to go out, completely work-unrelated. Nothing against your profession, doctor, but it'll have to be something where there won't be a chance to even talk about anything to do with medicine and hospitals and injuries and…"

He trailed off, realizing he was just not very on top of his banter-game. Besides, it didn't seem like Bonnie was even listening. Sobering, he walked over to her, laying a hand on her shoulder as he stared down at her, trying to avoid looking at Enzo.

"What's the verdict? Klaus said my boy is exhausted. You two been pulling too many all-nighters? Young love and all that?"

A soft scoff escaped Bonnie and even though he couldn't see her face he was sure she had rolled her eyes.

"In all seriousness, though, has he really not been sleeping?"

He was still puzzling over that when Bonnie suddenly turned to him, looking really upset. Whether with him or just in general, he wasn't sure.

"I don't know!" she called out rather loudly, tension making her sit up straight as an arrow. "I don't know what's going on. When we asked, he said he hasn't been sleeping well, but I didn't know. I never even realized… I should have seen it, the signs were so obvious. He was always so tired." She scoffed. "Even Caroline could see it and then there's me, blind to everything because I didn't want to see it. I didn't _want_ to see it…" Her voice had grown quieter and quieter until she completely trailed off, soft sniffling noises coming from her instead, and it gave Damon a pang.

"Hey, Bon. Bonnie… This is not your fault, you know that, don't you? Lorenzo… he's got issues. We all knew that. I should have checked on him more. That…" He didn't know how to put it into words, didn't want to talk about it… "That thing with Lily. It was probably just too much all put together."

"Yeah." Bonnie didn't sound convinced. "Why didn't he talk to me then? I could have… done something. I would have been there for him."

"You _were_ there. You still are. Come on, Bonnie. You can't honestly believe it's your fault. Homeboy here has a shitty past, and frankly, if there's anyone alive to blame for the shit he's been through, it's me, and that fucking lung doctor."

Suddenly, he had her attention. Gazing up at him with a frown, she jerked her chin. "Yeah," she said, "Klaus gave me his medical files… No wonder Enzo doesn't like hospitals. They basically tortured him there. I don't even understand how they could legally keep him there for four months and do those things."

Damon couldn't look at her. Rubbing his forehead, he let his eyes wander across the room. Those monitors, the noises, the dim weird lighting…

"It's my fault," he then said, not quite believing himself. It was as if part of him had decided to speak while another was angry at him for opening his mouth. "I had him committed."

"You… what?!"

Sighing, he finally met her gaze. There was a hint of the same betrayal in her eyes that had been in Enzo's way back when…

"I had him committed," he repeated, "Kid was… obviously worked up after what my mom did. That sudden onset of asthma, I mean… didn't need a college degree to understand those two were related. That it's a PTSD thing. Lily… fucked him, then fucked him up."

Bonnie visibly recoiled from his use of language, but he could only shrug. There was no use sugarcoating it now. Bonnie knew so much already.

"Manipulated and abused him. Then Guiseppe took care of the rest." He scoffed at the memory. "We Salvatores are an utterly fucked up family, Bon. And poor Enzo got caught in the middle. When he came to live with me, and things got bad, I… I didn't know how to deal with it or how to be there for him. I needed all the time I could get to practice. And then there he was having these awful episodes where I kept thinking he was dying."

"So you had him _committed_? For having _asthma_? You're his _friend_, Damon. His family."

"I know…" He licked his lip. A part of him welcomed her accusatory tone. It was more than Enzo had ever managed and Damon needed to hear it. He deserved it. "Back then I didn't know much about the Augustine Society other than that they had a network of support for future athletes. Since Enzo had been enrolled at one of their overseas schools, he was eligible to be treated by their doctors. Those are supposed to be among the best in sports medicine, and I thought I was doing him a favor. Getting him the help I thought he needed and that I couldn't give him. I thought it was really just something mental and they'd be able to give him some nice little therapy sessions, group talk, what have you, and he'd be as good as new."

"But that didn't happen." Bonnie pressed her lips together, her hand gripping Enzo's.

Damon shook his head. "Nope."

"Did you think to check on him at all?"

"Not at first…" The memories were goddamn gruelling. "They said he shouldn't have outside contact for a while…"

Bonnie nodded. "So when did you grow suspicious? The files mention that you and Klaus came by to get him out."

"Klaus had taken an interest in Enzo. Seen his talent way back when they were both still in England, Enzo just barely 13 or so… He had kept tabs on him and was beginning to wonder about the long period of time Enzo had been at the Augustine hospital. Asked me what for… _He_ was the one who got suspicious, not me. If it hadn't been for him…" Damon couldn't make himself say it, but Bonnie seemed to understand. "So yeah," he concluded. "I'm to blame that he hates hospitals so much. Should be interesting to try and keep him here now. I'm really hoping this is not so bad and we can get him home ASAP_. - Can _we get him home ASAP?"

Bonnie sighed, pressing her palm against her forehead. As if she had a hard time believing what she had just heard. Which was probably the case. It made Damon swallow awkwardly.

"We shall see how his levels are after some rest," she allowed. "I'll try everything to get him out of here as quickly as possible."

"Yeah. Right… I don't know what to do, Bon. Klaus wants him to do therapy, but after… _that_, he's never gonna consent to it."

"I can't blame him." She gave him a pointed stare that he accepted, meeting it head on.

"I screwed up."

"You did. But most of this is your mom's fault. And that awful clinic he was at. That's not on you, Damon."

He nodded absently.

"Just don't abandon him like that again."

He looked up, eyes wide. "Never."

"Good."

For a while they were both silent, the beeping monitors the only thing disrupting the peace. Then Damon squeezed Bonnie's shoulder.

"I'm glad he has you now," he said, then, clearing his throat, he added, "Okay, I need a coffee now. You want one?"

"I'm good."

"Okay. I'll be back in a bit."

She nodded, not looking at him anymore, and he eventually turned to leave the room, taking a deep breath as soon as he was out.

He needed a friggin break.

* * *

…

Bonnie hadn't even been home to shower - Caroline had brought her a change of clothes and some toiletries to freshen up in the bathroom - when Enzo finally woke up again the next day.

She had gotten just a bit of sleep herself, with her head resting on the bed, sitting in her chair, and her body was all sore now, but she didn't mind. She had needed to be there for him, and she had needed to keep her promise. If he had no one else to completely trust, he had her.

Now he had opened his eyes after hours and hours of rest, probably more than he had slept in the last few weeks combined, and to her relief he looked much better, his vital signs almost within normal range. He still had a bit of a fever, however, and the bronchospasms made him cough a bit now that he was up. Dr. Collins had already warned Bonnie that he was not going to let his patient go home until both had gone down. And she'd have to break the news to Enzo...

"Hey…" She smiled at him, her hand coming up to stroke his forehead before she leaned over to kiss his cheek.

His eyes flicked across the room as if to gauge where he was and who else could be lurking in the shadows, before he abruptly pulled his arms closer, staring at his wrists as if he had thought someone could have restrained him.

Seeing the brief flicker of fear in his eyes made Bonnie's eyes well up involuntarily.

"You're safe with me," she assured him. "I was here the entire time, just like I said I would be… How are you feeling anyways? Lungs giving you much trouble?"

"You must think I'm a nutcase."

"No."

He scoffed softly, a grin on his face that wasn't very happy at all.

"I'm sorry. I…"

"Enzo." She shook her head sympathetically. "You don't need to apologize for anything."

His expression was way too upset. He was tugging at the IV again and she had to still his hand.

"You'll still have to stay a bit."

He shook his head. "Bonnie…"

"I know," she soothed. "But you managed to end up with pneumonia after all. It's not bad. Yet. But it could be if you don't stay here."

He took a few heaving breaths, worrying her again. "Enzo, can we… can we talk about this? I don't mean the hospital. I know why you hate it, and I promise you it's not like that here. Okay? Okay?" She paused, feeling his gaze on her. He had his chin raised, a half smile bowing his mouth, but she could see right through it, could see that he was putting on a facade. For her sake. "You… put your body through too much. With practice and no sleep, and… you were completely dehydrated. You have not been eating, either, have you? You almost gave yourself a heart attack at barely 27!"

She looked at him, holding his hand, waiting for something, but he remained silent. Sighing, she continued, knowing she had to say it because he'd never do it on his own.

"I still have nightmares sometimes, too, you know? About that night… But I doubt they're anything like yours. I doubt… I don't know everything that happened between you and Lily, Enzo, but… you deserve so much better. You don't deserve this. This pain."

"Bonnie…" His anguish was palpable. Desperately he seemed to try and keep it together, his stare almost blind where it had locked on hers.

"It's okay. If you don't want to talk about it, we don't have to. But you need to talk to _someone_. She's still wreaking havoc in your head, and that has to stop. She's not allowed to hurt you anymore, okay? She's gone. She needs to stay gone. And you need to focus on taking care of yourself for a change. I'm… I'm so sorry I didn't pick up on this. How bad it is…"

She stopped herself, not wanting to make it about her. This was about him, and him alone. Not her, not Damon, not Lily…

"I just want to go home," he suddenly said, sounding almost like a little boy and it broke her heart. "I want to play ball, I want to be with you, just… I can't be in here."

"It won't be for long," she cajoled, her smile feeling forced and giving her a headache.

He shook his head, running a hand over his face. "I can't breathe in here," he allowed. "I know it's irrational, but I… I can't. I'm done."

He was pulling himself up more, tugging at the patches attaching him to the heart monitor. She tried to stop him as he pulled at the IV, keeping her hand over his arm as he glared at her.

"I don't want to hurt you," he said warningly, and she felt her heart do a plummet as she realized that maybe she shouldn't trust that he wouldn't.

"Good. I don't want you to hurt me," she said way calmer than she felt, raising herself up to her full height as he had hoisted his legs over the edge of the bed, ready to get up. "And I don't want you to hurt yourself."

She gave him a pointed stare and he cocked his head, smiling a rather pained smile.

"Let me go, love. I'm not someone you need in your life."

"Psh. I know what you're doing. You're doing the whole noble gentleman thing again. Letting me go. But I'm not going anywhere. Okay? I'm not going anywhere. I'll stay right here with you."

His smile faltered as he shook his head.

"I'm not here to use you and abandon you," she continued, "I'm not leaving. And whenever you're ready, we can talk about what's keeping you up at night and how I can help you get past it."

"I don't deserve you, love."

"You deserve something good."

He chuckled, his features crumbling a bit. "You might change your mind when you hear that I did love her at some point. Lily… It wasn't all just her. She was there when I needed someone and I probably ruined their whole family because of it."

"You were 15, Enzo. You had just lost your parents, right?"

He made a face. "It's not like she had to force me. At least not at first, and even then…" He broke off, a shuddering breath escaping him, and Bonnie was unsure whether she could touch him now, whether she should. When he looked up, there were tears in his eyes. "I'm sorry, you don't need to hear this. It's just… it's all my fault, you know? Everything. That Damon and Stefan had such a crappy rest of their childhood, their mother leaving, their father taking it out on them… That they don't get along so well anymore. That she… that she killed herself. She just… I just can't get her face out of my head. She's always there, and now there's just that… _hole…_" His face was scrunching up as he fought not to cry while Bonnie could feel tears of her own running down her cheeks.

"All of that is not your fault," she told him firmly, but he was shaking his head again, his jaw clenching and unclenching.

"I'm a bloody mess. I ruined them all, and I… I can't ruin you, too, Bonnie Bennett. I love you too much. So maybe you should just go while you can and leave me be."

"I'm not leaving. And you won't ruin me. I'm… I love _you, _Enzo. So please, let me be there for you."

Carefully she laid a hand against his chest, feeling him breathe in shallow breaths.

"And you need to lie back down," she told him, back in doctor-mode.

"I can't stay here. I can't do this." He was starting to panic again, his wheezing increasing, an alarm going off, and when Bonnie saw a nurse approach, she lifted a hand, shaking her head. She needed to be alone with him for a little while longer.

"Enzo. Look at me. I'm not leaving. I'll be right here the entire time. No one is gonna restrain you or torture you, or anything like that. Not again. But you need to breathe for me or they will have to intubate."

"I'm sorry," he muttered, "I'm ruining it all…"

"Shh… you're not. Except for your health maybe, so it's a good thing your girlfriend is a very competent doctor." She smiled at him, pressing her forehead against his as he briefly smiled. He was sitting with his arms clutching the edge of the bed, just trying to breathe, and eventually, very slowly, she could tell that whatever was going on, he was finally allowing her back in, was allowing her to take over, to help him. And then, when she kept breathing with him, in and out, she got him to focus back on her, calm down until he was breathing easier again, until she could wrap him in her arms, and finally, finally he just sank against her, allowing his tears to come.

...


	21. First step

_Guest: *mwah* - so happy you liked last chapter. I was a bit worried about it. It wasn't an easy one for sure… _

_Jade: oh my gosh, yes! MM in a suit is ridiculously handsome. I keep thinking he and his wife have the greatest chins and cheek bones, too, their kid's gotta be so handsome with those genes. lol. Love that they're such a gorgeous happy family. *Swoon*. lol_

_I also really want to see him in that show. (Plus, Aidan Gillen is a great actor, too…) _

_I'll have to ask: what're your favorite songs of his? I'm an idiot and got myself obsessed with some of them lately. I've already secretly declared a few of them the soundtrack to this fic. lol ("Feed the Flames", "Uncomfortably Numb", and "I Just Want You"…)_

_And as for the fic: yeah, it's good Enzo has Bonnie and doesn't have to go through it all alone anymore. Didn't exactly go so well before…_

_Thanks as always! :)_

* * *

…

Damon poked his head into Enzo's room, ready to walk in when he stopped in his tracks just watching the kid with Bonnie for a brief moment before pulling back, behind the wall. Neither Enzo nor Bonnie had seen him, which was probably for the best because the scene he had witnessed… had been hard to watch. Exhaling on a sigh, he leaned against the wall, catching himself.

He and his best friend, they didn't usually let each other see more than some surface emotions, with the rare exception here and there, and all those instances were edged into his brain, there to stay. As this one would be.

It was a good thing Bonnie was there, because he wasn't sure he would have known what to do, how to handle this. He couldn't have done what she had done. If Enzo had started to leave, chances were Damon would have ended up helping him. And then…

Yeah, he'd have probably gotten the kid in even more trouble. Like he always did. Involuntarily or not, it kept happening, and he was beginning to realize that he was not good for his friend. Because he wasn't a good friend.

Swallowing, he pushed himself off the wall again, deciding it was probably best if he left, but then he peeked into the room again, seeing Bonnie and Enzo still clinging to each other, and he couldn't tear his gaze off of them for another few minutes.

He was a bit jealous, there was no denying that. A part of him was upset that he hadn't made a move on this gorgeous caring woman himself. There had been a chance for that once, he was quite certain of it. But that chance was gone, and Bonnie… had moved on.

He huffed. His thoughts were ridiculous, stemming from his ever present urge to be the best at everything, the winner. Whether it be basketball or the girl, he wanted it all. It was the crux of the matter. Maybe it was time to take a step back and actually _be _a friend for once. Which included being happy for Enzo that he had finally found a good girl. Not someone like Lily. At least with Bonnie the kid had a chance to finally heal. And that was good, right?

Then why did he feel this sting in his heart at seeing them together? He shook his head, sniffing. With a quick motion, he took his phone and pulled up Rose's number.

_~ Coffee in 15? ~_

His message was short as usual, nothing too obvious, nothing too desperate, but when she replied within seconds with an affirmative, he broke into a relieved smile. Because he _was_ kind of desperate now, for someone's arms around him, for someone to have eyes just for him, like these two in there...

Sighing, he went on his way, not wanting to disturb the moment Bon and Enzo were having, and deep down he knew that that was a step forward for him too. Realizing when to back off, when to step away and not be the center of attention for once…

* * *

…

"You really need to rest some more…" Bonnie smiled at Enzo, gently nudging him to lay down again after they had spent a long time just holding each other.

He looked ready to keel over, raising his chin to take a shuddering breath as he ran his hands over his face wearily.

"I'm sorry," he muttered, but she shook her head.

"Nothing to be sorry for. Come on, let's get you to lie down."

He rolled his eyes, clearly trying very hard not to repeat what he had said so often already: that he didn't want to stay.

Her smile grew wistful, almost too much sympathy washing over her as she looked at him, how he resignedly tried to get a bit more comfortable.

"How about I lay down with you for a bit?" she asked, holding onto his arm with both hands. "Like you did when I was at the hospital? You didn't seem to mind the place too much then…"

The corners of his mouth moved up the smallest bit, an almost smile. "That's because it was _your_ bed…"

She wagged her eyebrows. "Then pretend it's my bed now. Come on, wanna cuddle with me? Like a cheesy old couple?"

"I want to _become_ a cheesy old couple with you, Bonnie Bennett…"

She took that to be an invitation and slowly climbed into bed with him, mindful of the IV and other cords and monitors he was still hooked up to. Nuzzling up to him, she muttered, "Good, because I intend to stay with you until we're both old and gray and wrinkly."

"You'll always be beautiful, love."

When she looked up at him, she had to smile to herself. His eyes were already closing, his head slightly resting against the crown of hers, and he was falling asleep again, and aside from the fact that he was indeed extremely exhausted, it told her one thing:

He did feel safe with her, safe enough to allow himself to fall asleep.

Intertwining her fingers with his, she snuggled up some more, just allowing herself to forget the world for a bit, forget all the troubles lying ahead…

* * *

...

He didn't want to fall asleep, didn't want to let that spiral drag him down again to where awful memories could assault him. But for some reason, sensing Bonnie beside him, her warm touch, the scent of her shampoo, her slender arm wrapped around him… all that made it somewhat bearable. Because he wasn't alone.

That she had been there before, maybe he should feel more awkward about it and part of him did, but...

It had all been too much, and while deep down he had been terrified he'd lose her after all, she had reassured him she would stay, and she really had. She hadn't left him, she was still here. After _that_. And it made him feel… all the things.

.

He had no idea how long he had slept, but when he woke up, she was still lying beside him, fast asleep. Smiling, he stroked her face, her hair, before he let his gaze wander, spotting Damon sitting casually in a chair in a corner.

"He's alive," his friend now said with a grin on his face. "You two looked mighty cozy in there…"

"You were creeping on us."

"Hey!" Damon's shit-eating expression only grew as he raised both arms in mock-surrender. "Can't a guy watch over his friends in a caring, non-creepy way?"

Scoffing, Enzo pushed himself up a little, mindful not to wake Bonnie. She needed her sleep, after everything she'd done for him, staying with him through all of this…

"No."

"Brought you some clothes, unless this is a fashion statement." Damon indicated Enzo's "outfit" of sweatpants and bare upper body and Enzo rolled his eyes.

"I still look better in this than you on your best day."

"I beg to differ. I have a great sense of fashion, Lorenzo. "

"Didn't realize v-necks and jeans are considered fashion…"

"They are. Besides. It's about who's inside those clothes, and frankly, you my friend, have seen better days. At least you have some color back in your face."

Enzo grimaced, their banter abruptly stopping as Damon had to bring that up. He shrugged it off as he slowly peeled himself out of the bed.

"You gonna hand those over?" he asked as he began turning off the monitors by his side, taking off the various patches on his chest, moving on to the IV drip next, making Damon squint at him.

"You sure know your way around those. Think it's a smart idea to do that?"

"Just hand me those clothes. I need a shower."

"Okayyy. Just don't pass out on me or anything, yeah? BonBon would probably kill me if anything happened to you."

Enzo stared at him, biting down hard to keep his expression neutral. But Damon's words made him want to smile. Because a woman like Bonnie cared about him. Everything suddenly felt almost worth it for that.

Slowly, he walked over to Damon, who had gotten up to pick up a bag, handing it to Enzo now.

"Yeah," he muttered, sniffing and wrinkling his nose, "you do need a shower. It's a good thing Bon isn't up yet… You don't want to repel her with that manly, musty smell."

Enzo decided to not grace the comment with a reply and just grabbed the bag, making his way into the small adjacent bathroom. Once he could close the door behind him, he put the bag down, grabbing the little sink to steady himself and took as deep a breath as he could muster. Yeah, he wasn't feeling too hot yet. Which sucked. He still needed to get out of this place, needed to get back to practice. There was a game coming up tonight.

He snorted, shaking his head at himself. Who was he kidding? In no way was he going to be able to make it to that. He'd keel over before he'd ever make it onto the court. Besides, coach wouldn't even allow him back. Neither would Bonnie…

.

After a nice warm shower that hadn't been as long as he would have liked because at some point he had felt like he was about to pass out, he slowly walked back into the room, half hoping that Damon had left. But no such luck. The man still sat there, idly tapping his foot, massaging his injured leg, and when Enzo sat back down on the bed, needing a moment to just breathe, he felt his friend's probing gaze on him.

When he looked up at him, Damon's chirpy attitude was gone, all trace of a grin wiped off his features. This was a Damon he didn't see all that often anymore, a serious and worried Damon that he associated with even worse times in his life, and he had to avert his gaze so as not to get dragged down by the memories now. Sniffing, he rubbed a hand under his nose, shooting a glance at the still sleeping woman in his bed. She looked so relaxed, so peaceful that he had to smile, the expression wavering as Damon began to speak again.

"Enzo… I know you don't want to, but we'll have to talk about this."

There it was. Sighing, he shook his head, just a small motion, before he ran a hand over his face.

"Klaus wants you to see a therapist. He's not gonna let you back on the team otherwise, and you know he's _desperate_ for you to come back. Which should tell you just how serious he is. How serious _this_ is."

Enzo swallowed, his throat too tight to reply. His hands were clenching into fists as if of their own accord, and he was ready to lie back down, but not while Damon was still here. He didn't need him to see just how bloody exhausted he still was, after hours and hours of sleep.

"I know after last time you probably don't want me to make any arrangements, but I could-"

Abruptly, he looked up to stare at Damon with heated anger. "No."

"The hospital is gonna send someone over, probably today. I heard them talk about it. You'll be getting a psych eval, whether you want to or not. But if there's one thing I'm sure neither of us want to ever see again is restraints around your wrists and ankles, so… might as well try to grin and bear it. Trust me, Lorenzo, this will be good. And me and Bon, and Klaus, we'll all make sure no one is gonna just lock you up again."

"Lock me up again?" He couldn't believe the casualness with which Damon spoke. Scoffing, he raised his chin, defiance surging through him. They hadn't talked about this in forever. Ever, really. But he wasn't going to let Damon trivialize it now. "You remember why I was there before, Damon, don't you? Because you _made_ them lock me up. You made them keep me there."

"I was trying to help you, and I didn't know how else to do it. I didn't know the place was such a horror house…"

That was true, Enzo knew that, he knew that Damon would have never knowingly allowed to happen what had happened there, at the Augustine hospital, under Dr. Whitmore's "care." And yet.

"They were supposed to be good there, top notch in care for athletes, Lorenzo."

"Yuh," Enzo scoffed, "everything they do is supposed to be top notch. And cruel. Like their schools…" He trailed off, talking to himself more than to Damon anyways. With a sigh, he decided to lay down after all, too exhausted to care what Damon might think. The glance his friend shot him said it all, and Enzo looked away, at Bonnie.

"I'm sorry," Damon suddenly muttered, "I dropped the ball on you before, but not this time, alright? We'll find someone to come see you at your place if that's what it takes, but with everything that happened, you can't deny that you need outside help. You almost friggin got yourself killed with the way you kept pushing through. Even someone who doesn't suffer from asthma would have-"

"Stop, Damon. I don't want to have this conversation."

"Well, sorry buddy, but we're going to have to have this conversation-"

"Not with you." Enzo glared at him, holding Damon's gaze for so long until the other one looked away with a huff.

"Fair enough, I guess…" Damon sighed. "Just… talk to someone-"

"Why does everyone seem to think talking is gonna help? Talking accomplishes nothing. It's not gonna reverse what happened." He sighed, running a hand through his hair, noticing Bonnie stir a little beside him. "I should have never come to stay with your family, Damon. If I had stayed in England, or at someone else's place, your family would have stayed intact-"

Damon shook his head, interrupting him with a shrug. "Guiseppe always had a mean streak, and Lily was always going to end up doing something batty because of it. I'm just sorry _you_ had to be the one getting hurt by her…" He paused, sighing loudly. "I can't stop seeing her face, man, or the lack thereof…"

Enzo clenched his jaw. He could still feel the blood spattering over from when Lily had shot herself. Like a million tiny boiling droplets burning themselves into his skin as constant reminders of what she had done. It still hurt.

Someone who had pretended to love him had only wanted to eternally scar him... Not a good feeling - which was probably the understatement of the year.

The people in his life seemed to all just abandon him, use him first if he was lucky, then discard him. His parents… Lily. Even Damon. Klaus would do the same if he couldn't meet the expectations the man had in him; if he couldn't somehow bring the Hybrids to the playoffs.

"Hey…" He looked to the side where Bonnie's green eyes were staring back at him, a frown growing on her face as she seemed to realize something was going on. She pushed herself up a bit, her hand coming up as she smiled at him before turning her head. "Damon," she said, her frown back, "Is everything alright here?"

She focused back on Enzo just as Damon said, "Yeah, absolutely. Just trying to get Enzo to go see a therapist as the big bad wolf - and I'm guessing the hospital, too - are both requesting. But surprise, turns out homeboy doesn't want to go, just like I already told you yesterday-"

"Damon." Enzo stared daggers at him, done talking about any of it, but then he felt Bonnie's hand against his face, the gentlest pressure making him look at her rather than at Damon, an earnest expression on her face as she said, "Remember what I said? I'll be here for you. Through all of it. You're not alone, okay? Damon is right, the hospital will send someone over to check on you."

He tensed involuntarily, ready to balk, like some strange and strong impulse to get away despite her being here with him, but then her touch filtered into his conscience again, and he stayed put, locking his gaze on hers so he wouldn't run. Because he really wanted to run and all that kept him from doing so was her. Bonnie Bennett.

"But if you want me to, I'll stay here for that, too."

Couldn't he just go home, pretend it all never happened? Take a week off from practice and then…

"Listen to the lady, Lorenzo. It'll just be a talk, right Bon? Can't hurt. And if you're a good boy and stay put to get some more rest, you'll be home in no time. - No one's gonna force you to stay."

Enzo scoffed. They kind of already where. Giving Damon a pointed stare he said, "I'm not here because I want to be…"

"Yeah, well. No, you aren't. You are here because you were stupid and thought you were a supernatural being needing no sleep or food or water, or air to breathe. Reality check: you're just human like the rest of us. The sooner you accept that and that you need help, the better."

Bristling, Enzo was ready to jump up and at Damon, but before he could do that, Bonnie's hand on his chest made him focus back on her right in time for Damon to slap his own thighs loudly, and Enzo looked to him before his gaze fell on two figures walking toward the open door to his room, one of them the gray-haired doctor from before.

"Guess that's my cue." Getting up, Damon addressed Bonnie rather than Enzo. "You'll stay with him?"

Her soft "yes" made Damon nod and smile, then he came over to give Enzo a pat on the shoulder, and he made a face.

"Finally got a good one there, Lorenzo," Damon muttered, "Do me a favor and try not to ruin it by being your usual stubborn self."

Scoffing, Enzo rolled his eyes, but Damon shrugged it off with a grin.

"I'm here for you, too, you know that, right? I screwed up in the past, but I'm not going to this time. Trust me."

Except, Enzo was the one who couldn't be trusted, the one who had screwed up… Raising an eyebrow at Damon, he therefore didn't say anything in return, just kept quiet, staring ahead as his friend left and the two doctors walked in.

"I'm right here," Bonnie suddenly whispered beside him, squeezing his hand, "I love you, Enzo St. John."

As he looked at her again, he jolted out of whatever darkness had threatened to swallow him and smiled. There was something good in all of this. This gorgeous woman by his side with her too big heart.

If she loved him, then maybe he _was_ really worth it. Maybe he really was…

* * *

…

Bonnie was acutely and uncomfortably aware that she hadn't taken a real shower in two days, that she was lying in bed with a man who was both her boyfriend and her patient, and that Dr. Collins was hiding a smirk rather badly.

Part of her wanted to vacate that stupid bed immediately and stand up, facing him and the other doctor - a curly haired woman who had to be the psychiatric counsel - head on. But then she could feel the tension coming from Enzo, the way his grip on her hand tightened, could see the way he stared hard at the two doctors, as if he was ready to just up and leave, and she knew there was only one place for her to be. It wasn't enough to be here in the same room with him, she had to be beside him, literally beside him.

Realizing just how much his past had taken a toll, she pressed her lips together as she faced Dr. Collins with a wry expression, squeezing Enzo's hand affirmatively as she did.

"Dr. Collins."

He wagged his eyebrows. "Your dedication is impressive, Dr. Bennett."

She clicked her tongue, but he was kind enough to gloss over what he had meant and just went on to introduce his colleague.

"Mr. St. John, this here is Dr. Emily Rosen. She's here for a psychological evaluation to make sure you're getting the care you need. Your recent destructive behavior gave us cause for some worry…" He smiled, stepping a bit closer, examining the monitors next to Enzo and only then did Bonnie notice that they weren't recording anything anymore, that Enzo must have taken the patches off. She gave a soft sigh, swallowing the urge to berate him because now clearly wasn't the time. Meanwhile, the other doctor was reattaching the patches, motioning for Enzo to extend his arm.

"You don't like being monitored, do you? I'm afraid we'll have to do this for another 24 hours, though, make sure your heart rate stays at a healthy level, and your lungs are doing okay too. I'll have to put the IV back in place, too…"

Thankfully Enzo didn't fight the man, shooting Bonnie a glance instead, and she smiled, proud of him.

"Mr. Mikaelson was kind enough to clue us in on the fact that your quite obvious discomfort about being here is strongly related to a rather unfortunate experience in the past," Collins went on conversationally, looking at Enzo while putting the drip back in place.

He paused then, looking from Enzo, who was clenching his jaw, to a smiling Dr. Rosen, then to Bonnie, who was trying to figure out whether she was angry at Klaus for divulging that information or grateful. It had to be tackled, she knew that. Still, it should have been Enzo's decision to mention it.

"Augustine Society, right?" Collins continued. "Dr. Rosen here can assure you that you're not the first to come to her with signs of post traumatic stress after a stay there." He gave Enzo a pointed stare and for the first time, Bonnie could see something work behind Enzo's hardened facade. Nudging him lightly, she smiled at him encouragingly as Collins went on.

"But I'll leave you to it. Just know that Dr. Rosen is good at what she's doing. She can help you, if you let her… - I'm guessing you're staying, Dr. Bennett?"

She nodded, looking from him to Dr. Rosen. "I hope that's okay… Because if not-"

She raised her chin, making her point, but Dr. Rosen smiled at her as Collins waved his goodbye, making his way out.

"Absolutely," the woman said, "Like Andrew said," she pointed behind her at the man, "You're not the first former Augustine patient I've spoken to. It might interest you that I'm actually currently putting together a case against them. - But don't worry, if you're not comfortable with it, we won't include any of your experiences in the files. I'm just here to talk a little bit now. See how you're doing."

She smiled, and Enzo kept staring at her warily. Even from where Bonnie was sitting beside him, she could feel his heart beating rather fast, could hear his breathing pick up a little bit, and she put a calming hand on his chest briefly, noticing him fiddle with the hem of the long sleeve shirt he must have changed into at some point.

"I'd be doing better if I could go home," he allowed, a bit of fight back in his voice, and Dr. Rosen chuckled.

"I can imagine. But why don't we talk about why you're actually here for a bit… I don't think the Augustine Society is the only issue here, is it?"

As she looked at Enzo, Bonnie squeezed his hand again, with her other holding his arm, making sure to show him that she was here as best as she could, to show that he wasn't alone. That he could talk.

"Whenever you're ready," the woman said, her expression open and kind.

He gave a half shake of his head, making a face before looking from the doctor to Bonnie. "I just wanna play ball," he suddenly said with such a defeated tone that her heart almost broke, and she shot Dr. Rosen a brief sideways glance before she leaned against him, foreheads touching yet again.

"And you will," she muttered. "Just… you need a little bit of help first, so you can begin to focus back on the game, too. Okay? If you need my help at any point, just say the word..." She smiled, trying to keep up the expression even when she was starting to feel a bit overwhelmed by it all. She hadn't known this feeling before, and it was both empowering and a little terrifying. That someone needed her, actually needed her to be strong, that _he_ needed her.

A long moment passed in which they kept gazing at each other, Enzo quite obviously trying to build up the courage for the task ahead, and eventually, with a sigh, he pulled away a little, just a little, never letting go of Bonnie's hand, and he turned his attention toward Dr. Rosen…


	22. One last night

…

_I think we're finally nearing the end. Didn't even realize I cracked 100,000 words… _

_Anyways, now would be your chance for input regarding something you'd still like to see here, something you're missing, if there is anything… :)_

_(Or shoot me an idea for something unrelated if you feel so inclined…)_

_..._

_Jade: oh yes, "Mongrels" is fantastic, too. I'm so in love with the entire album. lol. Obsessed! Which does not help matters. lol_

_Anyways. Thanks for your feedback yet again. It _is _good that Enzo's accepting the help. :) We're all ready for him and Bon to slowly be able to move on after all… _

_Also another shout-out to deenew and DancesWithButterflies: you guys are awesome! Always here with some feedback, helping me see this fic through. You rock!_

* * *

…

Caroline had waited three days. Three full days in which she had given Bonnie - and her Enzo - space, had kept the messaging to a minimum, had just delivered fresh clothes and brief hugs, and had tried really hard not to shower her best friend with questions so as not to annoy her or make things even more stressful. And it had not been easy!

Now, though, she had made the decision to just come meet Bonnie at the hospital cafeteria for at least a quick coffee, knowing that her friend wouldn't want to venture too far away from her ailing baller boyfriend. Care chuckled to herself thinking just how funny it was that Bonnie had really ended up dating one of the guys on the team.

Not even just anyone. Damon Salvatore's friend, the same Damon Bonnie had once had a crush on - which now seemed like a lifetime ago.

On her way to pick the girl up for their quick date, she made her way to the floor Enzo was on, grinning a little sheepishly when she knocked on the door, poking her head in.

"Hey," she said, waving at them both, kind of glad that Bonnie had sat perched on the bed, chuckling at something Enzo had said rather than it being a somber mood. She hadn't really known how Enzo really was and had feared that Bonnie wouldn't want to leave his side at all if he was too bad. She didn't even quite know what the matter was.

Sure, he had collapsed and she knew he had a mild case of pneumonia, both Bon and Klaus had said as much, but there was something else going on, something Bonnie had briefly alluded to, a deep aversion to hospitals… It was why her best friend was here all the time. Caroline had mock-complained to Klaus about it when he had finally visited her at her place again last night.

"I want my best friend back. You have her on 24 hour duty now? Just for Enzo or will she have to do this for all of your players?" she had asked jokingly, a bit flustered when he had given her a rather stern glare.

"Not _'all my players_' suffer from trauma-induced aversion to hospitals," had been his curt reply, and she had huffed, rolling her eyes in annoyance.

"I didn't realize it was so bad," she had allowed, "no need to become so defensive…"

He had given her this strange look, a brief flicker going through them that she hadn't been able to read then and was still wondering about now, even though she had begun to suspect that he really cared about Bonnie's boyfriend more than he liked to let on. But of course they hadn't talked about that. Instead, their meeting had ended the usual way, with a lot of hot sex, little talk, and a way too quick goodbye, although at least they already had a date set for in two nights - game night.

The sole reason she hadn't backed out of this strange relationship yet was that he didn't treat her like a dirty secret in public anymore. No, he was always a complete gentleman, lending her an arm when they walked to their seats, chatting and smiling with her while watching the games, not minding one bit when someone saw them or took pictures. It was just… almost as if he was two different people. One dangerous and full of secrets, the other the one the media usually got to see, and Caroline wasn't entirely sure which one of them she liked, and which one liked her…

Before she could let her own confused feelings become the center of her attention again, Bonnie appeared by her side and they gave each other a big hug.

"Hey, Care. Thanks for doing this. I know a hospital cafeteria isn't the nicest place for a good latte, but…"

"It's fine, Bonnie, really." Caroline smiled, one arm still around the other girl. "So, you ready?"

Bonnie smiled, then turned to look at Enzo again. "You sure you'll be alright for a little bit?" she asked, making Caroline feel slightly uncomfortable as she wondered whether her best friend's relationship was maybe becoming a little too codependent, too much catering to just Enzo's well-being. But then the man surprised her. With a smile that would have melted her heart too had she not been completely lost to Klaus Mikaelson, he looked at Bonnie and said, "You need to get out of here, love. Invite Caroline to a nice cafe in town where you two can chat, and then go home. Get some decent sleep…"

"I'm not doing that. I told you I wasn't gonna leave," Bonnie waved him off with an adorable grin of her own that made Caroline hide a chuckle. Her best friend had it bad. Really really bad…

"I'll be fine. It's just one more day anyway. - You can pick me up tomorrow, though, if you like…"

"If I _like_?" Bonnie scoffed. "Of course I'll pick you up. Are you really sure though?"

"Positive."

"Because I could-"

"Okay, you guys are seriously too cute, but I agree with Enzo, Bonnie, you are coming with me." Caroline had to intervene, unable to take their back and forth anymore. Remembering something, she walked into the room, putting her purse on a chair to take out a small business card: Klaus's. Bridging the small gap between her and Bonnie's handsome boyfriend, she handed him the card.

"I forgot about this: Klaus told me to give you his new number, it's on the back. Only for a select few, he said, so you're not to give it to anyone else - including Damon by the way…"

Enzo raised an eyebrow, a smirk on his face. "Nik probably got tired of Damon calling him the big bad wolf… - Thanks," he added, flicking the card before putting it away.

"He said you can call him anytime. No matter the hour," she said and he nodded, his smile growing a bit strained so she quickly smiled back and turned around to walk back to Bonnie.

"I could always come back after-"

"Bonnie!" both Enzo and Caroline said at the same time, sounding exasperated, and Bonnie eventually raised her arms in surrender.

"Okay, okay. I'm just…"

"Go, love. I'll see you tomorrow."

Bonnie smiled weakly, and Caroline tugged at her, pulling her with her as she exchanged a glance with Enzo who mouthed a "Thank you,", which made her smile.

Her earlier worry had been unfounded. This guy _was_ looking out for Bonnie.

.

She and her best friend had almost made it to the elevators before she realized she had forgotten her purse.

"I can run back and get it for you," Bonnie said, sounding a little too desperate and eager, and Caroline chuckled as she gave her a quick kiss on the cheek.

"I love you, girl, but I'll do it myself. If you go back there now, I won't ever get you out of here. I'll be back in a sec."

With that she jogged back, hurrying so she wouldn't leave Bonnie alone for too long. Shooting a glance back she could see her best friend hugging herself, looking more nervous than she had let on before, and Care didn't want to leave her alone for too long. It was time for some good girl talk.

When she got back to the room, the door was still open and she could see Enzo sitting on his bed, hands behind his head, chin raised up, an awfully lost expression on his face that gave her a pang.

Knocking on the doorframe, she made her presence known, watching as a small smile appeared on his face.

"Want the card back?"

"Forgot my purse, actually," she said, smiling as she pointed at it, and he nodded.

When she picked it up, she lingered a moment, giving a sigh as it worked in her. "You sure you'll be alright?" she asked, making his smile waver a bit, something behind his eyes shuttering closed.

"Absolutely." He met her scrutinizing gaze head on.

"I don't want to… I don't quite know what's going on, but Klaus mentioned... he said you don't like hospitals. If it would be easier for you to have Bon stay, I know she's rather reluctant to go anyways-"

"She needs to get out of here," he interrupted her, shaking his head. "I'd appreciate it if you could make sure that she sees something else again, gets some decent rest. She won't listen to me, but she's done more than enough, and I'd hate for her to get all worn out."

"That's Bonnie for you. She gets something into her head, she'll focus on it completely. And right now _you_ are in her head. So…"

"Yeah… - She's in my head, too," he allowed and Caroline had to smile as they both fell silent for a while.

"I promise I'll make sure she has a good time."

"You're a good friend, Caroline."

"I try to be…" She sighed. "I really should get going," she eventually muttered, and he smiled at her.

"Of course."

"Want me to ask Klaus-"

He shook his head, a quiet scoff escaping him. "No. - Thanks."

"Uh huh…"

She waved at him, walking out with a bit of a sad feeling, and when she shot one last glance over her shoulder at him by the door, the smile had already left his face again and part of her wished she hadn't promised to get Bonnie out of here...

* * *

...

"So, how are _you _holding up?"

After Enzo had helped Caroline persuade Bonnie to take a break, the girls had decided they could do better than the hospital cafeteria and had gone to a nice cafe first, and then over to Bonnie's place, where they were both sitting on the couch together now. Each of them nursing a cup of tea, they had snuggled up, and Bonnie gave a long and weary sigh, making Caroline look at her sympathetically.

Taking a sip, she smiled. "I'm…" She paused, changing direction of what she had wanted to say. Because this was her best friend, and she could be open with her. "Hanging in there."

Caroline nudged her, rubbing her shoulder for comfort. "It can't be easy on you, always being there for Enzo when you're still dealing with so much yourself…"

Bonnie smiled tiredly. "It's not so bad. I'm glad he lets me in finally... But I can't tell you how glad I am he gets to go home tomorrow." Her smile grew, and she leaned into Care a bit more. "You probably think I'm stupid for staying with him. But I swear he's not just being a diva or anything. He has legitimate PTSD surrounding hospitals." She had this need to defend him, but Caroline smiled at her sympathetically.

"To be honest I was wondering about that a bit. I didn't want him to, you know, use you... Then again, you guys' experience with that woman Lily was already awful enough to give anyone issues, and when you say there's more to it…"

"There really is. A lot."

Caroline shrugged. Before Bonnie's urge to blurt out the whole truth could grow too strong, her friend muttered, "I guess I get it."

And Bonnie gave a sigh. "Yeah…"

She clenched her teeth, pressing her lips together as she went down memory lane again, seeing Lily again, feeling the gun pressed against her neck, the dark cold of the room where Beau had attended to her shot wound.

"Bonnie? Hey…" Caroline's gentle touch jolted her back, and she tried to smile.

"Are you okay?" Caroline asked with a deep frown, her hand rubbing Bonnie's arm. "I'm worried about you, Bon. That's a lot of stuff you had to deal with lately… The whole awful kidnapping, getting shot… Now Enzo... If you want me to put in a word for you with Klaus or-"

"Nah, I'm fine, Care."

"You sure? I'd hate for you to get burned out. If there's anything I can do…"

Bonnie smiled. "I'm okay," she said, "Really. And actually, your guy has been quite nice already." She nudged Caroline, making her friend shoot her a curious glance.

"Yeah?"

"Uh huh. I mean, he's letting me stay with Enzo when he could have easily given the task to someone else, someone a little less… _involved_." She swallowed, grinning sheepishly as Care began to chuckle.

"'Involved', huh?" She airquoted. "You really like this guy, don't you? Enzo?"

Bonnie tilted her head, chuckling. "Oh gosh, yes," she admitted, covering her face with both hands before resting one on her friend's arm. "You think that's bad? That it's… just because of what we went through? You know, one of those relationships that only come about because of a shared traumatic experience and then won't last in the long run?"

Gnawing on the inside of her lip, she nervously waited for Care's reply. This had been on her mind for a while, weighing on her, and that she had voiced it now, said it out loud to someone else kind of made it a tiny bit better and at the same time more real.

"Aw, Bonnie!" Caroline gave her another hug before sweeping back some strands of hair that had fallen into her face. "That's not bad at all. You love the guy and as far as I can tell he really loves you is not going to be one of those things. What you did for him, what you both did for each other, that'll bond you forever."

"You think? I just… I'm just… I guess the thing with Jeremy made me kinda wary, you know? Like I know Enzo is nothing like him, and yet here I am, deep down worrying-"

"Bon." Caroline gave her a very stern look that almost made her laugh. "Jeremy was an idiot. I _know _that Enzo is not that stupid. He knows what he has in you and he does not strike me as the kind of guy that goes from girl to girl. If I am to believe my online sources… Besides, with his history, he's probably as careful as you are to commit to a relationship. He wouldn't start one with you lightly."

That made too much sense... Lily had done a lot of damage and as awful as that was, Bonnie did believe that it had also made him wary and careful and still he hadn't hesitated when it had come to Bonnie. And she hadn't hesitated either. There had been something between them…

"Girl, please tell me you're not honestly worrying about a Jeremy type repeat."

"No." She chuckled at the ridiculousness. But what _was_ she worried about then? "Maybe I just can't believe my luck?"

"There's nothing to believe, Bonnie. You earned it. So so much. After all this crap, you deserve all the happiness. With your job, your guy, everything."

Putting her tea away, Bonnie stretched out on the couch a little more, yawning involuntarily. Gosh, she was tired, and Caroline's words were so kind and soothing, just what she needed to hear. Wanted to hear. "Your guy" Caroline had called him, and Bonnie had to smile, looking at her friend. He really was her guy now, wasn't he?

"Ugh, I'm sorry Care. I'm tired, and when I'm tired-"

"You get irrational? Worried?"

Bonnie gave a helpless shrug, and Caroline nudged her lightly. "I should let you go to bed early, girl. You really do need a good night's sleep." Slowly, Caroline pushed herself up off the couch, and Bonnie was trying to protest, getting up too, but Care shook her head, grabbing her purse.

"You'll only get up to go to bed now, okay? And I'll go. Unless you want me to stay and watch over you for a change?"

Chuckling, Bonnie shook her head. "Nah, that's alright."

"You sure? I can make you breakfast in the morning too?" Caroline wagged her eyebrows seductively and Bonnie began laughing for real.

"Thanks, Care, but I'm good. Cereal will do. I want to get back to Enzo as soon as possible anyways." Though admittedly, she couldn't wait to spend a night in her own bed again…

"Okay," Care breathed, waving. "Then do me a favor and just go lie down, yeah?"

"Not gonna argue there," Bonnie allowed, making her way up after all as Caroline made her way out.

"Call me if you need anything."

Bonnie nodded, both of them hugging one more time before Caroline went out and Bonnie locked the door, a weird feeling creeping up her legs, her thighs at suddenly being alone.

Then, still holding the doorknob, she pushed herself off it and went straight to the bathroom, getting ready in record time so that just a few minutes later, she could finally fall into bed. The moment she laid down, pulling the blanket over her, she was already drifting off, thinking of Enzo during her last wakeful minutes.

Tomorrow, she'd see him again; tomorrow, they'd finally leave the hospital behind. She'd stay at his place again, making sure he took it extra easy and beat the pneumonia without another hospital stay becoming necessary; making sure, too, he'd continue going to therapy sessions and wouldn't just eat omelettes and grated cheese…

Tomorrow.

But first, sleep.

* * *

…

That night, Enzo couldn't fall asleep. He was anxious to just get out of this bloody place, but he knew he had to suffer through this one last night, and then… if his levels were all okay come morning, they had promised him he could finally go home.

All it took was one last night. But it was a night without Bonnie, and while he was relieved she had finally given in and left to spend some time with her friend and catch some quality sleep for once, he missed her. Her calming presence had helped him get through the last few days, and without her there, the minutes and hours were just creeping by, awfully slowly, and when the night nurse checked on him and still found him awake at 2:40, she had a frowny smile for him.

"Can't sleep?" she asked, and he tried to smile instead of rolling his eyes, because, come on, wasn't it obvious? "Let me get you a sleeping pill. The doctor said it would be okay."

The doctor said a lot of things…

Enzo made a face, waving her off. "Thanks, Michelle," he said, though, trying to seem compliant, something these hospital types always seemed to appreciate. Sure enough, her expression turned into a happier one.

"I'll be right back," she said, and as soon as she had left, he forced himself to close his eyes and just breathe, hoping by the time the woman got back he'd be able to make her believe he was already out.

Thankfully it worked.

Which didn't help with his overall problem, but at least he was still in control, and no one would be able to sneak up on him on this last night. No one…

And at least Bonnie was getting rest.

* * *

...

Bonnie was back in the early morning, unable to wait much longer. It was barely 6:30 when she knocked on Enzo's door, smiling when she opened it and saw him already all dressed, his bag packed and waiting.

"You do know we'll have to wait for rounds, right? And I believe those don't start until in an hour."

She sidled over to him as he also bridged the gap, a bit more life in his step, which made her smile grow even more. Soon, they had reached each other and she wrapped her arms around him, kissing him before allowing herself to rest her head against his chest and breathe him in.

"I missed you last night," she whispered, feeling his grip on her tighten.

"And I missed you. Hope you got a good night's sleep, at least…"

She looked up, smiling at him. "I did, actually, yeah. What about you?"

His nonchalant shrug was answer enough and her happy expression wavered for a moment before she realized that it was a good thing that he hadn't pretended otherwise.

"We'll get you to bed as soon as we're out of here then," she said, and he wagged an eyebrow at her playfully.

"I like the way you think, love."

Nudging his arm, she tsk-ed. "No extracurricular activities for another few days, Enzo St. John. Your lungs have to get better first.

He rolled his eyes. "You're no fun."

"Excuse me? I'm a lot of fun, actually."

"Oh ya?"

She slapped him lightly, grinning as he smirked at her. "Oh ya. And you'll soon get a taste of it. But first let's make sure your poor lungs can handle it…"

She winked at him, making his smirk grow wider.

They continued bantering, Bonnie using it to distract Enzo from the wait, because she knew how anxious he was about finally leaving the hospital. Then, when the doctors finally came by doing their rounds, she was relieved to see that she had managed to keep Enzo calm, and that nothing stood in the way of him getting discharged anymore.

"Dr. Bennett, we'll discharge him into your care," Dr. Collins said with a smile as he nodded over at her now, and she felt herself flush the tiniest bit, knowing that the man was all too aware of the fact that Bonnie wasn't just Enzo's doctor. "Make sure he takes it very easy and continues with the breathing treatment. Getting rid of the pneumonia is tantamount." He looked from her to Enzo, his expression growing more stern. "Mr. St. John. You know we're only letting you go because with Dr. Bennett you have a doctor looking after you. And because Dr. Rosen said it's best for your mental health to get out of here quickly. You will have to listen to what these two ladies tell you, though, especially continue your sessions with Emily."

Enzo made a face, but nodded. Then Dr. Collins extended his hand, and Enzo shook it.

"I hope we won't see you here again anytime soon," the doctor said with a grin, and Bonnie could see the smallest smile appear on Enzo's face.

"Likewise," was all he said, and Bonnie squeezed his hand briefly as they both watched the doctors finally leave.

"That wasn't so bad, was it?" she asked and he shrugged, sighing wearily.

"I guess not. But now… let's get out of here, Bonnie Bennett."

"You don't have to tell me twice." She chuckled, interlinking her arm with his as they both made their way out, a swagger back in Enzo's step, and Bonnie felt a whiff of exhilaration as she followed along.

It was strange how quickly everything could change and feel different sometimes. Yesterday, she had been so worried, and today… everything seemed so much more hopeful. Still, she couldn't forget that he was still sick, and was still nowhere near done dealing with his post traumatic stress.

But, for now she was just happy to be in the moment and…

Her train of thought came to an abrupt halt as they both stepped out of the hospital only to be suddenly greeted by a bunch of reporters, with cameras, and questions…

Swallowing, Bonnie stared up at Enzo, unsure of what to do. She was trying to quickly extract herself from him, trying to keep up appearances for his sake, but then he firmly grabbed her hand, holding it as an exceptionally nosy lady leaned in with a microphone, asking, "Lorenzo! You just got discharged from the hospital. Does that mean we can expect you back on the court soon?"

Enzo looked down on the woman, inclining his head a little as he said, "Lorraine, that'll be up to a few factors and the judgment of our medical team."

"You were diagnosed with pneumonia recently, is that correct."

He nodded. "That's correct."

There were a few overlapping questions and Bonnie found herself blinded and blinking as pictures were taken, and while she was fighting the urge to run, she was relieved to feel Enzo's grip on her hand tighten as he effortlessly braved the oceans of questions and attention.

"Lorenzo!" someone else called, and when the person continued, the chatter of the others finally subsided a bit. "You're here with Dr. Bonnie Bennett of the Hybrids' medical staff. I'm sure you're aware there have been rumors about you two for a while. Can we assume that this is the confirmation those rumors were true? That you two are dating?" The reporter, a sleazy looking man with gelled back hair indicated their intertwined hands, and Bonnie heard another few clicks as more pictures were taken, and she wanted to just hide somewhere, disappear, but thankfully she wasn't the one who had to answer any questions. And Enzo didn't seem anywhere near as perturbed by any of it as she was, even though his tone was rather cool when he finally replied.

"Not that it's any of your business, Stewart, but yes, Dr. Bennett and I are dating. Now excuse me, please." With that he waved the rest of the reporters off, using his sheer size to make a way through the small crowd that had gathered, getting Bonnie and himself through to the car the Hybrids had sent over to pick them both up.

All the way Bonnie followed him in a daze, trying to keep her head up as she made her way over to the car, and relieved when they finally made it, closing the doors quickly behind them.

"What the hell was that?" she asked a little breathlessly, peeking out briefly, before she fastened her seatbelt, allowing Enzo to sidehug her, leaning in as best as she could.

"I'm sorry, love. Being in the NBA comes with a few… things to deal with. I hope you don't mind I told them about us but I figured there was no real use denying it anymore…"

She looked up at him, feeling a bit breathless and shaky, but when she saw his somewhat worried face she had to smile.

"I don't mind at all," she breathed, squeezing his hand as the car finally drove off, and they left the hospital and the reporters behind. "If you're okay with it?"

"If it's up to me, we can tell the whole world. I love you, Bonnie Bennett."

Her smile was so wide it was almost painful. Her heart was beating so fast.

"And I love you."


	23. In this together

_Guest: thanks so much! That makes me happy to hear. :) I know the feeling. Part of me wants to continue on and on and on, but it's a lot of work, too. lol. I'm glad you like the hints of Klenzo. Their "friendship" is a bit of a guilty pleasure of mine…_

_I'll see what I can do about at least a peek into the future, btw. I did have a bit of time jumping in mind toward the very end… We shall see._

_Jade: aw, you're the sweetest! I hope I'll have some more inspiration for these two that I can share with you. I adore them so much it's a bit all consuming at times. lol. And yes, Care is a great friend. :)_

.

_And can I just say, MM singing the word "baby" is the hottest thing. lol. If anyone needed evidence that I'm quite hopeless currently, there it is._

_But let's continue..._

* * *

_..._

Eighty-six. The number hadn't changed. Eighty-six stairs up to Enzo's apartment, and Bonnie puffed out air, blowing a strand of hair out of her face as she had finally made it up there, shooting a sideways glance at Enzo beside her.

Today, the poor guy had needed to pause on almost every landing in between, much to his chagrin, and he shook his head now as he wearily got the key out to unlock the door. His breathing was labored again, his skin tone a bit too pale for Bonnie's liking, so when he had finally opened the door, she quickly steered him in the direction of his bedroom.

"Bed, now," she said, a bit short of breath herself, and his expression abruptly changed, a smirk appearing on his face.

"I thought you said we'd have to wait a few more days…"

Chuckling, she lightly slapped his arm. "And I meant it," she told him with a wag of her eyebrows, "but you need rest. All the rest. Especially since you barely slept last night…" She gave him a pointed look that made him press his lips together with resignation. What she hadn't said but they both knew was that they still had a lot of work ahead if they wanted to make sure he wouldn't have to go back to the hospital, if they wanted to make sure he could go back to practice anytime soon, too.

"Alright, love," he muttered, sounding out of breath and she gently nudged him again, making him roll his eyes as he immediately knew what she meant. It was almost a bit comical how well attuned they already were. Taking out his inhaler, he used it briefly, before he flopped down on his bed, clearly ready to let himself fall back on it, but Bonnie took his hands, holding him up as she shook her head.

"You need to stay upright for a little longer, babe. Helps with the breathing. We should also put a few pillows up so you can sleep with your upper body elevated…"

His disgruntled look was quite cute, and Bonnie had to smile. "On the plus side, we'll get to snuggle up together now…"

"Yeah? You'll keep me company?"

"Of course." Her smile grew at seeing him smile, too, her hands still holding his for a moment longer before they finally let go with a sigh.

While she went to work, collecting all his pillows, he watched her, and she grinned back at him.

"What?"

"You don't have to do this, you know? If you want to go back to your place…"

She sighed, finishing her work, then gently pushing him back against the pile of pillows.

"I don't, though. I want to stay here, with you. If you'll still have me."

He pulled her down onto the bed with him in reply, making her chuckle briefly as she fell onto him before she rolled herself to the side.

"Careful with those lungs," she warned him. "You don't need any extra weight on your chest."

He scoffed. "You're light as a feather, love."

Chuckling, she rolled her eyes. "And you promised to listen to me and be more careful. I'm still your doctor." She gave him a look and he smirked.

"Alright, doc." They smiled at each other, falling quiet for a long time, Bonnie's head resting against his shoulder, her hands clinging to his arm. It felt so much nicer than at the hospital with it's beeping monitors and constant artificial lighting.

"I meant what I said," he eventually muttered, his fingers caressing the back of one of her hands absently. "If you want to go home, go. I don't want you to feel obligated to stay. You've done so much already. I'll be fine now - and I promise I'll heed your professional advice-"

"Enzo," she interrupted him, sitting up a bit, cupping his chin as she looked up at him. "I don't feel 'obligated.' Maybe this started out as a job, but it's not anymore… I _love _you. I want to be with you, I want to be here for you. And I'm still worried about you."

"I'm sorry, love. Told you I'm a mess. Hospitals just… bring the worst out in me, but I'm okay here. You don't need to worry."

She looked at him, a wave of affection and sympathy making her face scrunch up. "You're not a mess, you've just been through a lot of messy situations in your life. - If you want me to go, I'll go, but… I'd really like to stay. Besides, you weren't doing so well before, even at home. Remember how this whole thing came about? With you not sleeping and eating and drinking enough?"

Making a face, he clenched his jaw, tensing a bit under her touch. "I'll do better now."

"Yeah, you will. And I'll be right here with you making sure of it. I don't want to leave you to deal with this alone. I don't want to go home anymore. I'm home where you are."

"You telling me you're reconsidering my offer to move in?" He frowned, although the corners of his mouth were moving up a bit into the beginnings of a smile when she nodded, leaning back against his shoulder.

That was exactly what she was telling him, wasn't it? Even though part of her was still rather nervous about it.

"I mean, if the offer still stands?"

"Of course."

"Good," she said with a chipper tone, "Then it's settled. I'm moving in with you, Enzo St. John. And I'll stay right here now while you sleep. Go, close your eyes. Come on."

He chuckled softly. "Still relentless, Bonnie Bennett."

"That's me."

His smile made her feel all warm and fuzzy. Then he pulled her closer, muttering into her ear, "I love you, too…" And she beamed, her heart doing a weird little jolt.

A strange relief washed over her at the fact that she'd get to stay and be there for him. Because she wasn't going to make the same mistake again and leave, let him deal with any of this alone. Not this time. They were in this together now, he wasn't alone anymore, and neither was she.

* * *

…

When he woke up in the middle of the night, panicking for a moment because somehow the awful memories still wouldn't leave him alone, Enzo noticed her sleeping form right beside him, and the panic ebbed away, making room for something better.

This girl, she was too good to be true and he couldn't quite believe his luck, that after everything he had been through, fate had finally taken mercy on him and given him a break, had given him Bonnie Bennett.

Sighing, he put an arm around her, smiling when she snuggled up to him some more, briefly blinking at him, drowsy from sleep.

"You okay, babe?"

"Yuh."

Her frown was rather adorable even though he didn't like being the reason of any worry for her.

"Nightmares back?"

Images flickered through his mind. His wrists restrained, his ankles, as he was shaking and writhing, too cold after having been submerged in ice water for so long he could barely feel his limbs anymore. The face of a gray haired man leaning down until their noses were almost touching, a cool scrutinizing gaze looking right through him. And then…

Lily, faceless.

"Enzo?"

"I'm sorry, what?"

Bonnie abruptly seemed more awake, raising herself up until she sat with her legs crossed beside him, her warm hand reaching up until he could feel it against his forehead.

"Are you cold? You feel a bit cold…" She fussed with the blanket, pulling it more over him as her frown deepened.

"I'm not cold…" Then why was he shivering?

"Are you sure? I could… do you have a hot water bottle?"

"I'm not cold."

"You're freezing, though..."

He ran a hand over his face, clenching his jaw. The need to ignore it all and get up and go over to his gym was so strong suddenly that he couldn't fight it anymore. Pushing the blanket off, he moved to get up, only half registering Bonnie's protests.

"Enzo."

"I'm sorry, love. I'll just…" He motioned somewhere, getting up only to flop back down on the bed as he realized what he was doing. Bonnie was by his side in seconds, one hand on his chest, the other against the side of his face.

"What did you see?" she asked, and he closed his eyes briefly, forcing himself to remember to breathe.

For a few moments, neither of them spoke or did anything. He just stared at her, her green eyes, so different than Lily's, or the other doctors in his life.

And how had he ended up falling in love with a doctor anyways? After everything?

He had a decision to make now, had to remember what that other doctor had said, Dr. Rosen, about the Augustine Society, about putting a case together. She had asked him a few questions that he had reluctantly answered, evasively, just to appease her, to appease everyone else. Just to show he was willing to work on his issues. He had talked about Lily, just a few sentences really, the gist, and then he had told her what everyone could read in his medical files anyways. What Bonnie had read, too.

Swallowing, he pulled away a little from her now, just so he could avert his gaze because he couldn't quite look at her for this part…

"Enzo…"

"It's not pretty, love," he muttered, feeling her grip on him tighten.

"I know."

He looked up at her after all then, their gazes locking, and he smiled an upset smile at seeing tears shimmer in her eyes.

"There's too many things. In my head. Lily… That… hospital where they did all these things that were supposed to help and instead it felt like they were trying to kill me, over and over again. I just can't get them out of my mind. They're driving me crazy. - I should have been able to stop them, to do something about it. Lily, the doctors… they had their way with me and all I did was let it happen…" He trailed off, his face scrunching up a bit as he tried to fight a surge of emotions threatening to swallow him. That feeling of weakness, of helplessness, he'd never wanted to feel that again and now Lily's return and this bloody hospital stay had brought it all back.

"I mean, how can a 6'10 guy be so goddamn weak-"

"No." Her tone was sharp when she cut him off, an anger in there that was very real and very clearly not directed at him. And it jarred his thoughts. "You were not weak," she continued, "You _are_ not weak. - Enzo, what these people did… that was _torture_. What Lily did, was _wrong_."

"I started it..."

Her appalled expression made him want to jump up and leave, but she held on to him, smiling the saddest smile. "I told you this before and I'll say it again until you see it too: You were a kid, Enzo, a kid who had just lost his parents. You were grieving and confused, and she took advantage of that. I'm so sorry that happened to you."

"I'm…" He didn't know what to say or think or do. Shaking his head, he tried to clear it, to no avail.

"I'm sorry," Bonnie repeated, and when she said it again, and again, he finally began hearing it. Understanding it. "It's not your fault. None of it is. Not what she did to you, not that she died. It's not your fault."

"I could have stopped her."

Bonnie scoffed. "She could have shot _you_."

"I wanted her dead. But she's Damon's mother, I should have-"

"You're both better off without her. We all are. Enzo…"

"I just… thought once she's gone I could finally forget it ever happened. All of it, but it's all still there… just like the bloody bastards at Augustine." He gritted his teeth, ready to smash something, but then her hands came up to cup his face, making him look at her, and the tension in his body eased the tiniest bit.

"I wish I could have been there to help you back then," Bonnie muttered, crying now, making him lose his own fight against tears that had threatened to fall for a while. "I wish I could help you now."

"You are," he breathed, realizing it was true as soon as he said it, and her teary half-smile made his heart well over. There was not a trace of disdain in her features, no disappointment with him. And above all, she was still here.

"Would you like to tell me about it?" she eventually asked when they both had been quiet for a long time, and he tilted his head a bit, contemplating it. Then… he nodded. Maybe now was as good a time as any. And maybe she would still be here after that, after he'd told her. After all she was here now, and she'd already seen so much…

* * *

…

"Thanks for telling me," Bonnie whispered in Enzo's ear, breathing him in as she was holding him now. "Thanks for trusting me with this, for letting me in."

She'd held him for a long time by then, but now he was eventually pulling away a little, looking at her with a weary expression that made her just want to put her arms around him right away again.

"You're not gonna-"

"I'm not gonna run, and I'm not gonna change my mind about you, Enzo St. John," she interrupted him with a soft smile, anticipating what he had wanted to say, not surprised anymore that someone as successful, as "on-top-of-the-world", as privileged as him could feel so insecure at times, not surprised about his hatred of the medical profession or hospitals, not surprised by his reserved attitude toward most people.

She had had glimpses before, of course, but now he had told her so much more, details she almost wished she hadn't ever learned about, and yet she was glad she knew now, knew the terror, the pain, knew everything about Lily, about Dr. Whitmore and his posse. She knew Enzo.

And maybe it was time he knew more about her, too. About Jeremy, her parents, growing up at her Grams' because her own mother hadn't thought Bonnie was worth staying around for...

"I'm proud of you," she whispered, hearing him scoff and shake his head. "I mean it. Only someone exceptionally strong could have overcome all that, and you did."

"Not really. Look at me. I'm the nutcase who's acquired asthma because he couldn't deal with a crazy woman; who still freaks out when he steps foot into a bloody hospital almost ten year later…"

"You need to cut yourself some slack." She nudged him affectionately, leaning her head against him as they both finally sank back against the pillows. "If it helps you at all, I have some issues, too. I keep thinking everyone will just up and leave me at any given moment in time." She scoffed and he shot her a concerned frown.

"I won't ever leave you, Bonnie Bennett. Unless you ask me to…"

She smiled, wrapping her arm across his chest, listening to his heart beating, steadier now, calmer…

"My story is not as fucked up as yours, I feel a little bad about being so upset about some of it, but if you want to, I could tell you a little about it too…"

"Everyone has their own heartache and pain, love. No one's is better or worse, just different. I'd love to hear your story…"

"Okay… here goes nothing," she said, chuckling because she felt a little embarrassed, and yet the way he looked at her let her know just how serious he took this - how serious he took her - and it made her breath hitch, her heart almost burst.

Because this man loved her.

And she loved him.

* * *

…

* * *

...

Days went by, two weeks, and things had gotten better. A lot better. Now Bonnie was finally getting the rest of her things over to Enzo's apartment, her two best friends helping her with the task. All of them were huffing and puffing pretty quickly at the insane amount of stairs they had to walk up and down repeatedly, however, and after a while Caroline stopped them all in their tracks.

"You sure Enzo can't help yet?" she whined, shooting Bonnie a pathetic glance that made her and Elena laugh out loud.

"He could," she eventually allowed, "But I told him he better sit this one out if he wants to return to light practice in a couple days."

"Couldn't this be part of his training?" Caroline looked so hopeful that Bonnie had to chuckle.

"Trust me, it was hard enough to get him to stay put, so I'm not even gonna ask him to help now. His lungs have barely recovered enough for him to not be winded just from walking. He needs to take it easy."

"Ugh. Here we are and have all these athletic guys and not one of them around to help us."

"I can help."

They all whirled around, Caroline turning a shade of pink as they saw Klaus Mikaelson climb the stairs, actually holding one of the boxes Bonnie had packed, carrying it up as they all stood on the fourth landing, staring at him.

"Klaus, I didn't know you were coming over…" Caroline said as he gave her a quick peck on the cheek, making her flush even more as she exchanged a glance with her girlfriends, shrugging at them.

"Lorenzo and I need to talk about a few things."

"And of course you waited to tell me you were headed here, until we were almost done..." She scoffed as he winked at her, then continued to climb the stairs, and Bonnie had to frown.

What did the Hybrids' owner want to talk about with Enzo? She hoped he wasn't going to pressure him into coming back quicker. It was already difficult enough to remind him to take it easy. He had begun to grow more and more stir-crazy with every day he got better, quickly forgetting just how bad it had been just a couple weeks ago…

She quickly went after the man, arriving up top in time to hear Klaus call out for Enzo.

"Lorenzo," he said, walking into the apartment as if it was his home, and Bonnie was certain Enzo would be angered by it, but then he came swaggering out of the living room where he had put some of her boxes, and he smirked at the other man.

"Niklaus."

Placing the box down with a grin at Bonnie, Klaus walked over to Enzo, giving him a hug and a pat on the back that made Bonnie's frown only grow. She knew Klaus cared about Enzo in some twisted kind of way, yet she didn't quite understand this relationship. Exchanging a glance with her boyfriend, she saw him shrug at her, smiling, and it was that unperturbed expression that took some of her tension off her again. If Enzo didn't mind Klaus being there, then she had no reason to, either. Right?

"I need to discuss a few matters with you. Can we talk somewhere?"

"Now?" Enzo raised an eyebrow, as Klaus nodded.

"It's important."

"If it's about the timeline, I already told coach I'd be back Monday. If practice goes well and medical staff clears me, I could play again in less than a weeks-"

"Uh," Bonnie piped up, sidling over as she gave Elena and Care, who had appeared behind her, a quick sign, making both of them exchange a glance and go back down the stairs. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves. Less than a week for an actual game seems a bit rushed. Enzo-"

"She's a bit protective," he told Klaus with a smile down on her as he pulled her closer into a sideways hug, and while part of her wanted to pout and be annoyed with him, she simply couldn't. Not when he looked at her like that - so fondly, and full of love.

She had it so so bad…

Klaus looked from Enzo to Bonnie, then back. "Well, clearly you need someone like her - with a bit more sense - to make these decisions for you. When you're back I need you to be _back_." He gave Enzo a pointed look and Bonnie could feel Enzo tense a bit under the scrutiny, though he didn't say anything in return. "Anyway, that's not what I came here for. - I spoke to Dr. Rosen."

Enzo's grip on Bonnie tightened at the mention of the name, and she couldn't help but wrap an arm around him protectively. They had seen the woman a few times now, twice a week, Enzo only willing to do so because Bonnie had promised to stay by his side, and it had been good, too, because they had both had a chance to talk some more about their shared ordeal with Lily, but it was still just the tip of the iceberg…

"So?" Enzo raised his chin, squinting at Klaus suspiciously, who gave a sigh.

"I am going to support her case against Augustine," Klaus said nonchalantly, "and I know it's too early for you to give her much, but I want to offer her your complete medical files."

"Nik-"

He stopped Enzo with a wave of his hand. "Eventually, I'd like for us all to come forward together and make a statement on your behalf. The statements she has from other people, it's all fair and well, but with _your_ experiences… It'll tip the case, Lorenzo. It will end them. For good. You know better than anyone how hard I've tried to destroy them in the past, but… I guess in this case, against a large organization like theirs, there's only one way to get to them and that's through the courts."

Enzo shook his head and Bonnie squeezed his hand, muttering, "You don't need to think about this now. You don't owe anyone anything. If you don't want this yet..."

He grimaced, an unhappy smirk appearing on his face as he stared at Klaus before him. "When?"

"I'll give you time."

Bonnie scoffed. How generous of Klaus.

"Klaus, he's not ready-"

"_When_?" Enzo repeated, speaking over her. His eyes were flickering as he held the other man's gaze and Bonnie began to feel increasingly uncomfortable.

"Two months. After we know whether we've made the playoffs…"

Enzo nodded. Sniffing, he rubbed his nose briefly, shooting Bonnie a glance.

"Why don't we talk about this with Dr. Rosen," she suggested, tugging at him, and he smiled tiredly at her.

To her surprise, Klaus agreed with her. "Dr. Bennett is right. I'll let you talk this over with Dr. Rosen. But, Lorenzo. It's the right decision. So we all can move on, and no one else has to suffer through what you had to endure."

"You're putting too much pressure on him," Bonnie jerked her chin at him, glaring. "You can't do this, not after-"

"Bonnie. It's fine," Enzo said, and she focused back on him.

"I don't think it is. You've barely begun to actually deal with all of it, he can't force such a big decision on you. Talking about your ordeal publicly…" She scoffed. "That's too early."

"It'll not be before two months are up, Ms. Bennett - _Dr. _Bennett. And you have my word that I'll see this through with him. - Lorenzo," Klaus's gaze wandered over from her to Enzo, who stood beside her, his body way too tense. "It'll be a press conference, after the last game. We'll address a few things, playoffs, overall performances, injuries… Damon's return timeline for the playoffs, your health issues during the season. There's bound to be people making connections between those and… Lily's untimely demise. In order to divert from that, it would be best to call Dr. Whitmore out, the Augustine Society… We'll draw attention to Dr. Rosen and her case which will hit courts soon after. And no one will ever speak of Lily Salvatore again. Not in regards to you, anyway."

There. Bonnie shook her head, snorting. So that's why. Klaus wasn't just doing all this out of the kindness of his heart. He was trying to avert another possible scandal, was fighting it by creating another one, and sadly both of them involved Enzo. He would suffer either way, and the question was only, which one would be a bit more bearable.

"Alright," Enzo eventually muttered, nodding, and Klaus patted his shoulder, grabbing his neck as he stepped real close, making Bonnie tighten her grip on Enzo yet again, as if she could somehow anchor him that way.

"Good," Klaus said, his voice a hoarse whisper. "I know this won't be easy, but I'll take care of everything else. Just that one press conference, one statement. And I'll handle the rest."

"You can't promise that. If the case really does go to court, won't he be called as a witness?" Bonnie shot, pushing Klaus off Enzo a bit, and he smiled at her, then at Enzo.

"She's fierce. Just what you need, mate." Then he addressed her, "You've seen what I'm capable of, Bonnie. Trust me, I can handle this for him. You just make sure he's fit to play again soon."

"With this on his mind?"

"I'm sure you have ways to distract him…"

Klaus winked at her, patting Enzo's back one last time, who was glaring at the other man now, pulling Bonnie a bit closer to him as she tried to go after him, really angry now.

"Let him go," Enzo muttered, though, shaking his head as she looked up at him.

"He's an asshole," she hissed, "and he just-"

"I know, alright? I know… Just, please. Let it go… Please."

She bit her lip, scrutinizing him, before she eventually nodded, unwilling to accidentally hurt him more.

"You don't have to do this, though, okay? I need you to know that. If you feel ready in two months, good. I'll be right by your side. But if not, that's okay. I'll still be right here. And we'll get through this either way."

"Yuh..." He sounded distracted, unconvinced.

"We will. Together." She stared at him, a determination in her tone, in her whole stance that finally made him smile.

"He was right about one thing."

Bonnie scoffed. "Yeah? What?"

"You're just what I need…"

She chuckled, until he leaned into her more, his lips grazing hers, and she forgot what they had just talked about, forgot Klaus, forgot her friends as he kissed her, his hand coming up to cradle her head, to hold her close…

And it was just him and her for a while.


	24. Back in the game

_Jade: that's totally what I'm doing at the moment. lol. Listening to his music every chance I get. :) If you find someone walking around constantly singing his songs to themselves, maybe it's me. lol_

_And I know, finding an end to this is not easy for me, either, but I like to try and finish a piece of writing before I write myself into a corner and can't find a decent point to end it. Hoping I'll manage it here. :)_

_Will still need a few more chapters to do that..._

* * *

…

It was another two weeks before Enzo finally got cleared to resume his training without restrictions, then another week before he returned to the active roster of the team, and Bonnie could see an instant shift in him as soon as he was officially back. It was as if a huge weight had fallen off of him, as if the game gave him a lot of self confidence and self worth that he had so desperately needed back, and it made her smile watching him now.

"Still got it bad for him, huh?" Luke grinned at her sideways as they were observing practice from the sidelines, and she looked at him, smiling right back.

"Okay, okay, you can say it," Bonnie told him, rolling her eyes, but with a grin. "Go ahead, I'm ready."

Luke chuckled. "Nah, I wouldn't do that to my favorite colleague. No 'I told you so' necessary. I'm glad you two figured it out, though. He seems a lot more focused, too, ever since he's been back. - Just like you…" He nudged her. "We're all excited to see your guy play again tonight."

"Yeah…" Bonnie trailed off. She was a bit nervous about this first game. What if he couldn't return to the form he'd been in before? Then again, he'd done it once already, and even just watching him during practice now showed her that he could still do it, could still perform well. Yes, he'd be alright.

Suddenly, Luke laughed, and she shot him a glance, frowning. "What now?"

"I just remembered how Coach tried to assign me to be in charge of monitoring his health when he came back," he jerked his head at Enzo, who was out there on the court, patting a grinning Jamarcus on the back, and Bonnie had to scoff at Luke's reminder.

It had not gone too well. Enzo had gotten into it with Alaric, insisting it'd have to be Bonnie or no one. Thankfully, Klaus had arrived on the scene just then before things could become too heated. He had patted poor Ric on the back, saying, "Kid gets his wish, Coach. No discussions." Then he had added quietly so that Bonnie almost didn't catch it, "You know his file..." He had given the man a pointed stare and Ric had huffed, looking rather grim at having his authority undermined.

"Yes. But I need to be sure Enzo is actually fit to play and doesn't get the doc to rule in his favor," he had said, "We can't afford him passing out like he did during an actual game. - I need to know Dr. Bennett has the necessary objectivity, Klaus." Bonnie still remembered how awkward she had felt, but the Hybrids owner had smiled at Ric, then her.

"Dr. Bennett, I trust you to handle this professionally despite your… relationship with Lorenzo," he had said and she had nodded, swallowing an upset remark, settling for an "Of course," hoping her burning cheeks weren't too obvious to everyone.

But then she had addressed Alaric directly anyways, shooting Enzo a sideways glance.

"Coach, you can rest assured that I take my job very seriously. Nobody will be getting any favors from me. If I think he's fit to play, he's fit to play. I'll be the first to intervene if it's not the case."

The almost proud smirk on Enzo's face had been the best. Then, as if to rub it in a bit, he had pulled her toward him, staring at the coach before kissing her, then winking at Bonnie as he ran backwards onto the court with an, "I guess it's settled then."

Hard to believe that that was already three weeks ago. In those three weeks they had made so much progress, had resumed their therapy sessions with Dr. Rosen, had gotten used to living together, had even gone out a few times, but Bonnie was still not used to the fact that suddenly people took an interest in her, took pictures of her with Enzo - because of him of course, but still. She was suddenly a more public figure, too, and the adjustment wasn't easy.

Just yesterday some fashion site had actually published a small article about her, the woman by his side, commenting favorably about her outfits. She scoffed at the thought, but at least it had been a rather flattering article with lots of kind comments underneath - if mixed in with a stunning amount of unfriendly remarks: people claiming she was not as pretty as she thought and that Enzo deserved better. A lot of "jealous bitches," as Caroline had called them, annoyed on her behalf. But Bonnie had waved it off with a chuckle. There were bound to be people out there that didn't want her to be with Enzo. Someone had even commented that he had looked much cuter with the older Lily Salvatore and Bonnie had just been glad that Enzo never read these kinds of articles anyways because the comment was hurtful in ways the writer couldn't have imagined...

"Earth to Bonnie!"

"What?" Her gaze quickly searched for Enzo, making sure nothing had happened to him, then, when he was still out there playing with abandon, she turned to Luke, who was grinning at her.

"Daydreaming on the job now? Man, I want to be you in another life, Bennett. - Well, there's still that mystery about how you got injured, but other than that, you seem to be living the dream… How _did_ you get injured anyways?" He looked at her and she felt heat creep into her face at being put on the spot. So far, she had been able to evade any questions, but Luke wasn't stupid. He knew something was going on. "It wasn't in a car accident with Damon, was it?" he asked now and she gave him a look.

"Luke… I can't talk about this."

Nodding, he returned his focus onto the court, watching the players.

"I'm sorry," she said, nudging him. "It's not because I don't want to, but it's not just about me and people could get… hurt."

"It was Lily, wasn't it?" When he raised an eyebrow at her, she stifled a gasp, trying to keep her facade up. "It's okay," he said, "There are rumors out there, you know? People saw her at the game right before you and Damon got injured, then, bam, next thing you know she's supposed to have died that same night, hours and hours away from Nola. - And Enzo shows up at practice with stitches across his side soon after…"

"That was…" She couldn't come up with an explanation fast enough, her mind blank.

Luke chuckled softly. "You don't need to worry about me. I won't say anything to anyone. I'm just worried about you, that's all. And worried that eventually someone will dig and maybe find something they shouldn't? Klaus took care of it, though, right? Like he always does?"

"Like he always does?" Bonnie frowned, a bit worried how many more instances of Klaus manipulating crime scenes there could be…

"I mean, no one ever talks about the Salvatore family dramas anymore, Stefan Salvatore's addiction problems, Lily's affairs, Giuseppe's violence, Damon's too many flings… No one talks about Enzo sleeping with Lily, either, or about DeShawn's and Marcel's former gang connections. Or the time Lincoln got in trouble for almost killing a pedestrian when he was speeding. Klaus takes care of his players like it's his business. No… like they are part of his family. And just like with his real family, he loves some of them a little more than others, and your guy, Bonnie, is certainly the Rebekah of the team."

"I don't even know what you're trying to say."

"I mean… he's Klaus's favorite. And I'm sure that means the man took care of whatever happened to you guys. - I'm sure he has a plan in place for the inevitable diggers, too. I just want to make sure _you_ are really okay, Bonnie. _Are_ you okay?"

"Yeah, of course." She smiled, trying to chuckle, but it sounded fake even to herself. What Luke had said, had made her uneasy. There were rumors out there… Maybe she should ask Caroline whether she had seen anything online. Suddenly Klaus's adamant insistence on disclosing Enzo's Augustine past made a whole lot more sense. He knew about those rumors, didn't he?

"Okay," Luke said, smiling. "I'll let you off the hook. Just know that if you do need anything, I'm here. And you know I can keep a secret." He winked, and she smiled, if a little forced.

"Thank you," she muttered, trying to find a way to change the conversation when Luke abruptly grabbed her, turning her toward the entrance.

"Oh my gosh, tell me you're seeing him too?"

Bonnie had to suppress a chuckle. "You mean Kol? Yup, right there with Klaus… and Damon."

"Oh gosh, he's coming over here, isn't he? He's totally…" Luke trailed off, looking positively nervous now, and Bonnie had to chuckle on his behalf as Kol seemed to indeed be beelining over to where they were standing.

"Excuse me for a sec," she told him, but he grabbed her arm, almost frantic.

"You can't leave me alone here."

"Luke, easy. He is probably here so he can get on Klaus's nerves. If that involves a little bit of flirting with the staff…" She winked and he chuckled briefly.

"Yeah, I could totally help him with that."

Patting his arm with a last encouraging smile, she eventually went away and over to the newcomers, noticing Enzo and Damon exchange a handshake and some words that made the latter chuckle rather loudly, while Klaus looked at them both with a somewhat strained expression.

"BonBon!" Damon beamed at her, and she had to smile back at how happy he looked. She had seen him for therapy earlier, and they had discussed his return to full practice with the head of medical staff as well as Klaus and Coach Saltzman, and the consensus had been that Damon was indeed ready. He would still need time before attending an actual game, but he was officially back for practice with the team.

Things were looking up all around.

"I just told Enzo he needs to watch out because I'm back now and I'm ready to have my spot on the team back."

Enzo shot Bonnie a glance, a small smile on his face that looked a bit too strained for her liking, but she couldn't blame him. Damon was his best friend, yet Enzo had earned himself the spot in the starting line up, a spot he hadn't been able to fill for the last few weeks himself, but tonight, he was going to be back…

What would they do once Damon was officially ready to return to active duty, too?

"You need to focus on getting back in shape, Damon," Klaus said now, glaring at him, but his star player was oblivious.

"I was never out of shape. I'll be back in no time. - Man, I missed this. BonBon. You staying?"

She scoffed, but nodded. "Yeah, gotta make sure you don't overdo it," she told him and he grinned at her.

"You have lots of experience with that now, of course," he replied, wagging an eyebrow at Enzo, who rolled his eyes. But it was Klaus who spoke next.

"Focus on yourself, Damon. Now get going." He took a step toward Enzo as Damon jogged onto the court with a mock-salute.

"Same goes for you," Klaus then told Enzo, "We need you tonight. Step up."

Shooting a last glance at Bonnie, his gaze then wandered across the court, where she could see an annoyed flicker cross his face when he spotted his brother chatting rather cozily with Luke, and she had to suppress a chuckle.

"Now please excuse me," he muttered before stalking over to the other side of the court and toward those two, leaving Bonnie and Enzo to themselves.

"You doing okay with all this?" she asked him, allowing herself to hold his hand briefly even though she was usually trying her best to keep their personal relationship off the court. Right now, though, he looked like he could use a little bit of extra attention.

He raised an eyebrow, smiling at her. "I get to play tonight, love. I couldn't be more okay."

"I mean with Damon back… the playoffs coming closer… There's a lot of extra pressure on you now. He'll want his spot back-"

"I'll give it to him."

She shook her head. "Be a little more competitive."

"I'm playing ball. I'm here to win. I think I'm competitive enough."

Smiling, she scoffed. "Not in regards to Damon, you aren't. I know you love him like a brother and don't want to hurt him, but you can't just defer to him all the time. You have gotten so much better within the last few months. Everyone agrees that you are right up there with him." She paused, watching his jaw muscles do their dance as he was listening to her, clearly uncomfortable with what she was saying. "Don't just give up your place."

He wouldn't argue with her now, she could feel it, and she smiled at him, briefly placing a hand on his chest as she looked up and he looked down, their faces so close to each other now, their lips too… So close… She could feel his heartbeat quicken alongside hers...

Then she pulled away with a sigh, tapping his chest as she mouthed a "Go" before she reluctantly walked away, waving at him briefly as she turned around to head back over to Luke…

* * *

…

Gamenight always had a certain excited atmosphere to it. That had never stopped. Tonight was no exception. If anything, Enzo actually felt a bit more nervous than he was used to. He hadn't played for weeks, not here, not in front of an audience, and he was so bloody ready. He only hoped he could meet everyone's expectations…

When the first quarter was about to begin and he and his teammates walked in, he made sure his way took him past Bonnie, and he smiled at her once he passed her, having to force himself not to give in to the urge to walk over and kiss her right there and then.

There she stood, trying to be all business, but as soon as he saw her and their gazes met, she broke into an involuntary smile of her own, making him smirk before he ran a hand over the back of his neck, dropping his head to focus.

Then the game started, and he took a deep breath, relieved when it reached all the way into his lungs, energizing him.

He could do this. She had been right. In Damon's absence he had allowed himself to show just how good he was, and it would be stupid to take a step back from this now. Maybe it was time to look ahead in more ways than one. Maybe it was time to be a little selfish for once.

So he played, with reckless abandon, getting into a flow so quickly that he forgot everything else around him, just playing ball, shooting threes like no one's business, defending like that had always been his forte, even iso situations were suddenly child's play.

Before he knew it, it was halftime, and he found himself standing across from one Bonnie Bennett, who was smiling up at him.

Resting a hand over his throat briefly, the touch feeling too nice and making him smile, she handed him his inhaler, and he took a puff, two, before she was satisfied and let him jog over to the team, ready to listen to Coach Saltzman's next game strategies.

The rest of the game went by in an electrifying blur, and it was as if he could finally use up all the pent up energy from the previous weeks of pain and frustration and panic and transform it into something positive, something good.

When he came out of the game eventually, the buzzer still ringing in his ears, reporters were waiting for him, and it was almost like only then did he realize that he had made well over 40 points.

And it felt exhilarating.

"Lorenzo, you just balled out! 46 points in your first game back after sickness! How do you explain that?"

He grinned, shrugging as he addressed the reporter. "Great support. - We got a great medical staff taking care of us. Great coaching staff… - They're good at helping us find and work on our strengths, and I'm grateful for the trust they had in me returning tonight."

He shot a glance in Bonnie's direction then, seeing her standing and waiting by the hallway toward the lockers, and he beamed at her as the reporter continued with her questions. When he was finally finished, having answered a few more media representatives' questions, she was still standing there, waiting for him with that disarming smile, and he couldn't keep himself from just walking over and picking her up and kissing her, whirling her around as he did.

It felt too good.

Chuckling, she looked at him, shaking her head, a cute tinge of pink flushing her cheeks.

"Enzo," she gasped, shooting furtive glances to the sides, urging him to let her down quickly when they both spotted some camera flashes, but he only let her down enough to kiss her again, holding her against him, his hands in her hair.

"Let them take their bloody pictures. I don't care" he said, and the smile she had for him made his heart explode.

"You sure? There's already so much about us out there. Some people think I should not be on the staff anymore, and maybe they're right…"

He shrugged, eventually letting go of her as they finally made their way to the lockers. "They're not. And I don't care what someone says about us somewhere. It doesn't matter. What matters is that I love you, Bonnie Bennett, and _I_ want you here."

Her smile grew. "Okay," she muttered, furtively grabbing his hand, making him chuckle.

Because, bloody hell if this wasn't more than okay.

* * *

…

When the Vampire was finally attending practice again on a regular basis - and that was actual practice, not just his own thing, not just sitting on a stool shooting at the basket from a stationary position, not just physical therapy and training in the weight room - it had been months since his initial injury. So much had happened in those months, it was a bit mind-boggling.

But now he was finally here, getting back into things, getting ready for the playoffs - _if_ the Hybrids won the next few games. There was still a chance for them to make it - especially now that Enzo was back and going crazy on the court - and while Damon was a little miffed that he still wasn't quite ready to help with all that, he desperately needed his teammates to make it possible. Because he wanted to come back, wanted to play again before the season was over.

He needed these playoffs.

"Salvatore, St. John, over here!" Coach Ric suddenly hollered over, and Damon shot a glance at Enzo beside him, who was just pulling his shirt up by the collar to wipe his face before beginning to walk over to Alaric.

"What does he want now, you think?" Damon asked as they both went over to the man together, and Enzo gave a shrug.

The kid had kept his lucky streak going even after the latest illness break, had been balling out every game since then, three weeks of exceptional performances so far, and Damon had to admit to himself that he was growing a little jealous. His friend was getting too damn good. Only stoppable by his own health…

When they had reached Alaric, he forced himself to stop dwelling on it, asking, "What's up, Coach?"

Ric's almost nervous expression gave him pause. Looking from him to Enzo and back, he sighed. "Come on, Ric, is it the fearless leader? What's going on?"

Alaric clicked his tongue, making a face. "As you know playoffs are getting closer. We're so close to making it. We're currently seventh seed, but could easily still fall out of contention if we don't pay attention. We _need _to keep this latest winning streak up, or we're out."

"Yeah," Damon made, "that's not why we're standing here is it? I mean, that part is pretty obvious."

"Damon, can you shut up and listen for a minute?" Saltzman glared at him and Enzo suppressed a chuckle that made Damon raise his hands.

"Really? We're back to 'Damon, shut up'?"

"Back?" Enzo asked. "We never stopped, mate. Because you never stop."

But while Enzo seemed to think that was rather funny, their coach was not amused. "I mean it," he said now, his tone growing more annoyed. "Listen, the thing is, we can't fall back on _you_ yet, Damon. Not for this last important leg of our journey to - hopefully - the playoffs. We need _you_ for that, Enzo."

"You got it, Coach."

Ric nodded, mulling something over, and Damon frowned as he watched the other man. "The question is, what will come after. If we do make it to the playoffs..."

Damon was beginning to see where this was going and he wasn't quite sure he'd like it. Still, he managed to keep quiet. For now.

"I just had a brief chat with Klaus. Damon, he wants to keep Enzo in the starting line up."

Wait. What?

Alaric kept talking, Enzo's expression changed into a self-conscious one, and Damon… had trouble following. Klaus was demoting him to the bench?

"Wait a minute. So this is for the playoffs?" he interjected at some point, trying to comprehend. "What if I can make it back _before_ then? I mean, we got two weeks left until we know for sure, right? I've been cleared for a while now-"

"For _practice…_"

"I've been _cleared_. I want to play. No offense, Enzo, but I think maybe it's time I step in again and make sure we're bringing this baby home."

Enzo raised an eyebrow and Damon opened his mouth to continue speaking.

"We've done a good job without you so far," his friend abruptly said, though, startling him. He had not expected this kind of comment. Not from Enzo, not… "I'm sorry, mate."

"You got lucky," Damon told him, his hackles raised, and he had a hard time calming himself down. "But yeah, you did play fantastic. But, see… Coach. Enzo is no true point guard anyways. He's, what? More of a power or small forward, some kind of hybrid for sure…" The word play wasn't lost on him, but something he would have normally commented on suddenly didn't seem worth mentioning. "I mean, he's 6'10! What kind of point guard is that freakishly tall, right? Maybe you could reassign him to the small forward position once I'm back to take over as point guard again. That way neither of us will have to waste away on the bench."

He cocked his head, waiting for a reaction from Alaric, not satisfied when the man gave a theatrical sigh.

"Damon…"

"I'm right, Ric. You know I am. You can't afford to bench me."

"That's not what we're doing. Being a sixth man is not a bad deal, not after your kind of injury. You're lucky you're even back already. And it's not forever. Just… these playoffs."

"Let me talk to Klaus." Damon shook his head, chuckling as he looked at Enzo with a "can you believe this guy" expression, but his friend just shrugged it off.

"He'll bring it up at the press conference that's scheduled less than two weeks from now." Alaric shot Damon a pointed look.

Damon raised an eyebrow. He'd heard all about that one… Grinning without humor, he couldn't help but nudge Enzo, couldn't help the words that came out of his mouth next. "He might need to change his strategy after that, though. I guess we'll just wait and see how poor Lorenzo here will handle the whole pressure from having his lovely Augustine stint rolled out for the public to see. Klaus is full of good ideas lately, isn't he? But this one…" He clicked his tongue, looking to Enzo, who closed his eyes, not meeting Damon's triumphant gaze, and suddenly he felt an unexpected lump form in his throat, feeling like a complete asshole.

"Well, I thought it only fair to inform you now," Alaric said coldly, not commenting further on what Damon had said. "Of course you can talk it over with Klaus. But now… get back out there." With that, Ric stalked off, hollering something at his assistant coaches and Damon was left to stare at Enzo.

"Enzo, you know I-"

"Yeah," Enzo interrupted him, before he, too, walked away, not gracing Damon with another glance.

Somehow he felt like he had really messed this up. And he wasn't quite sure how best to fix it… Damon Salvatore - the vampire - was going to start his first game back on the bench? In favor of Enzo playing from the start? That's not how he had envisioned any of this. At all.

He should be happy for his friend, but he couldn't do that. He simply couldn't.

…


	25. Press conference

_Jade: oh, ya, I'd like to see him in concert. From what I saw other people post on YouTube, he's pretty fun to watch… (I mean, duh. lol)_

_Not sure I realized you're in Australia! How cool! My other current fanfic obsession (hush, it's "Home & Away". lol) will probably lead me back there once I'm done with this fic here…_

_I'll keep my fingers crossed MM'll make it over there._

_As for Damon: I'm glad you "get it". I know he's sometimes rather self-centered in this fic, but honestly, he was like that on the show and this is one way of showing that while he's overcome some of his selfishness, he's still only human, and has faults, and how could he not be jealous in this situation. Right?_

_Guest: Aw, thank you so much! I'm really hoping for more inspiration for these two because I'd love to give you more. :) Thanks so much for your kind words regarding the tension and unspoken things, too. It's something I work hard on but can never be sure it actually translates well onto the page. So your words are very encouraging. :)_

_And yeah, Damon and Enzo… that could still escalate for sure._

_But let's see how things are going in this new chapter…_

_To be honest I'm not quite sure about this chapter. It doesn't quite flow too well yet, does it? But I'll post it anyways. Something for you to read on this lovely weekend. :)_

* * *

…

"You sure that press conference is a good idea?" Caroline had flopped down next to Klaus, cuddling up with him on the couch for a rare moment, and the way his heartbeat picked up under her head told her there was something more to it all, something she had no idea of.

If only it wasn't so difficult to get this man to talk and open up. Sighing softly, she listened now as he did what he always did, evading her questions.

"Maybe not a good idea, but necessary."

"Bonnie is not happy," Caroline let him know, "at all. She says it's still too early for Enzo. Poor guy has been through hell."

"Caroline. Your friend does not need to approve of my business related decisions-"

Her loud huff interrupted him and he shot her a bemused glance.

"Business related decisions?! Really? I thought Enzo was your friend, too, on some weird level… Don't you care that this could mess with him? - Besides, Bonnie is not just saying this because she is his girlfriend. She's worried about his health, mental and physical. I don't really know what all happened, just that it was bad-"

"It was." Abruptly, he pushed her away, getting up, and she felt hurt by his rough dismissal. "I'm not going to discuss this further. Suffice it to say I have my reasons, good reasons, and that is all I'm going to say about it."

"Okay…" Caroline rolled her eyes, crossing her arms in a defensive gesture, not looking at Klaus anymore as she pouted. Why had she even brought this up? She was an idiot. What she had with Klaus - while exciting - wasn't exactly what Bonnie had with Enzo. Sure, both their guys could have a hard time communicating, both had a temper, an accent… But Klaus was on a whole other level of refusing to let her in and it was tiring at times. She knew somewhere in there was a deeply hurt soul, someone with his own fair share of heartache. If only he'd let her see…

Before she had time to think about it more, he came over again, leaning over her, his face coming closer until she could feel his breath against her skin.

"I'm sorry," he muttered, cocking his head as he took her in, and a prickle coursed through her body as he did. "Lorenzo and I have a history. Tell your friend that all I'm doing is look out for him. It may not seem like it, but I'd never willingly make him suffer more. I've been where he was."

"You've been…" Frowning, she looked up at him, trying to make sense of him. With a hand pressed against his chest she kept him at a distance before his whispered words could make more goosebumps erupt on her skin. "You mean, literally? You've been at that Augustine hospital, or you and Lily Salvatore-"

"Augustine," he interrupted her with a strange disgusted flicker in his eyes. "That woman…" He shook his head, not continuing.

"You were at Augustine."

"Their school, not the hospital. It's where I first met Lorenzo…"

She was ready for the full story, but then he fell silent and didn't make any attempt at continuing at all.

"You wanna tell me about-"

Before she could finish her question, his lips were on hers, kissing their way down, and she felt herself come undone before she had a chance to pull away, pull herself together.

Sighing, she told herself she'd just have to remind him of this conversation later. If she remembered…

* * *

…

Damon was nervous. The vampire was freaking nervous and it was not a feeling he was used to or liked very much. Here he was, ready to play his first game after breaking his damn leg - and he was still sitting on the bench, just watching from the freaking sidelines well into the first quarter.

Then the second quarter came around and he finally got his chance as Coach Ric took Enzo out of the game to rest.

The reaction from the audience was imminent. A cheer went through the crowd as he entered the court, and it felt so damn good that he almost forgot to be upset about the wait, or the fact that he only got to play when Coach took Enzo out...

Damon was back, finally. After months and months of pain and crap and drama.

It didn't even matter all that much anymore that Alaric took him out again after he had barely played 15 minutes in total. All that mattered was that he still got it, he was still good, not rusty at all, maybe a little more careful. There was a certain remnant of fear of another injury left that he knew he'd have to tackle. But overall, he had had a blast on the court.

When he exited the game again and Enzo gave him a high five before sprinting back on the court, Damon had a smile for his friend, for the first time able to appreciate how good the kid was.

Because they were all moving forward, weren't they? Life went on, and maybe the worst was over. Stefan had moved in for a while and they were trying to repair their relationship. Rose was becoming a constant in his life. Enzo was doing okay with Bon by his side. Lily was dead. Guiseppe hadn't tried to contact any of them, and Damon suspected it was thanks to Klaus, but he wasn't going to ask the man. He didn't care. As long as Guiseppe continued to stay out of their lives, all was well.

And Damon? Damon was back in the freaking game.

.

But for how long when Enzo was this freaking good? The thought kept nagging at him now as he was watching the remainder of the game, putting a damper on his mood even though he didn't want it to. He'd have to figure this out… For now, though, he just wanted to focus on the happiness about being back.

* * *

…

The Hybrids had made it to the playoffs, had even made it to the fifth seed, and while that wasn't too exceptional, it was more than anyone had ever thought possible for this young team.

Bonnie still couldn't quite believe where the road had taken them, had taken _her_ since she had started this job. Her first struggles as a medical staff member, her first encounter with Enzo, Damon's injury and subsequent therapy, Enzo's health - and life - struggles that had become hers… So much had happened. And through all of it she had fallen in love with a man: Bonnie Bennett loved Enzo St. John. The doctor and the baller, a team now, trying to come out on top.

And while things were looking up these days, especially in the four walls of their apartment, today they'd have to get past yet another hurdle: Klaus's press conference, that awful confessional he had planned. Caroline had told her what Klaus had said, about having gone to the Augustine boarding school himself, so Bonnie knew he had at least some kind of first hand experience with it. Still, it didn't really help her feel any better about this.

"You sure you want to do this?" she asked Enzo again as they were getting ready after the game, and his tense expression made her tighten the hold on his hand. "You can back out of it, you know? Emily said so, too. - We can tell Klaus that he'll either have to do it without you there or… I don't know, wait-"

"Bonnie, it's fine."

She raised an eyebrow at him, and he smiled a small smile at her.

"Thanks for having my back, though," he muttered.

"Of course." She tugged at him, unwilling to let go, but she'd have to. Soon.

"Will you still be here when I'm done?"

She scoffed at his question, the genuine glimpse of worry in his face, and she leaned into him. "Of course I'll be here." Wrapping her arms around him briefly, she quickly let go when they both saw Klaus coming by, ready to take Enzo with him to the conference, Damon already in tow.

"It's time," the man said, and Enzo sighed, his hand still holding Bonnie's.

"Got your inhaler?" she asked, and when he nodded, they finally pulled away from each other completely, Bonnie catching herself gnawing on her lip too much. She was just so nervous.

As Enzo began walking, Damon came up behind her, whispering in her ear. "I'll keep an eye on homeboy for you, BonBon," he said, winking at her, and she forced a smile onto her face.

"I'm worried about him, Damon…"

"I know."

Sighing, she allowed herself to close her eyes for a moment as he patted her shoulder lightly, then he walked away, too, and she was left to wait for them all, feeling awfully anxious, and awfully alone.

… Until she suddenly saw Caroline appear walking down the hallway, like a bright apparition in her cute yellow dress and with a big frowny smile creasing her brow.

"Care, what are you doing here?" Bonnie asked just as her friend embraced her, both of them clinging to each other for a moment before eventually disentangling.

"I couldn't possibly let you wait alone. I know how tough this is for you…"

"Aw, Caroline, you are the sweetest," Bonnie's eyes welled with tears, and her friend quickly wrapped an arm around her again.

"Hey… It'll be okay, alright? You guys will be okay…"

Sniffling, Bonnie wiped her nose, nodding at the other girl, hoping she was right.

Then Caroline looked around the hallway, finally pointing toward the locker rooms. "You think we could sit down in there? Come on, let's go do what everyone else is doing and just watch this live." She wiggled her phone. "It'll be better to know what's going on…"

* * *

…

Stupid press conference. Damon had to force himself to keep a neutral expression and not scowl too much as he walked into the room with Klaus and Enzo, the faces of a bunch of reporters already trained on them.

They'd ask questions about his bench stint, he knew it, would ask for how long that would continue and whether it meant Enzo was the new star of the team. He didn't want to answer those questions because he didn't have a freaking answer yet.

Coughing into his arm briefly to clear his throat, his gaze fell on Enzo beside him, who suddenly looked almost paralyzed. Frowning, he patted the kid's back.

"This is gonna be fun, my friend. Watching Klaus try to keep his cool while dealing with the media? Always entertaining." He grinned at Enzo, who shot him a blank stare that made Damon begin to honestly worry. Nudging Klaus to get the man's attention, he raised an eyebrow, indicating the problem he could already see unfolding.

"Lorenzo," Klaus said, frowning at his fellow Brit.

Not surprisingly the kid wasn't really reacting. At least he was still walking, if rather hesitantly.

Klaus's expression briefly faltered, then he put an arm around Enzo's shoulders, pulling him in to whisper something in his ear, but Damon heard him so well that he was worried for a moment that someone else in the room would overhear him too.

"You only have this one choice, Lorenzo. There are people out there currently making connections between you, your health issues and Lily - her death… They could unearth the whole truth any day now. Your age when the presumed 'affair' started, the rape…" His pointed look made Enzo's expression harden even more, his jaw muscles twitching, and Klaus continued, "If you want to go that route, fine, I'll support you. But it would probably become very public, more so than this here, and I'm not sure you're ready for that. - Are you?"

Enzo didn't say anything, clenching his teeth even harder if that was possible, and Damon grimaced, bumping Klaus's shoulder.

"This whole thing is just a freaking Hail Mary, isn't it? How about we-"

Speaking over Damon without even so much as a glance in his direction, Klaus continued, solely focusing on Enzo as he did.

"You are not ready," he concluded, scoffing, "So let's stick to the plan. Give them Augustine. You'll be the center of attention for a bit, sure, but then they'll focus on the Society, drag them all down where they belong. And you'll come out on top. By then no one will remember Lily." Gripping Enzo's neck a bit harder, he made the kid look at him. "I'll do most of the talking. You'll just have to sit there. Alright? _Alright_?"

And finally Enzo nodded, his hands in tight fists.

Damon felt an uncomfortable prickle crawl up his back. This was surely going to be interesting… Bumping Enzo's shoulder encouragingly, he then accelerated his step a bit, getting into the room before the other two, grinning at the crowd, engaging in some chitter chatter, hoping it'd distract the reporters for a while longer so his friend would have an extra minute to compose himself, prepare himself...

* * *

...

Enzo was listening to Nik talk to the media as if he was somewhere far away rather than standing right next to him. The man was effortlessly answering questions concerning the playoffs, the roster, Damon's injury, and then…

Fidgeting with the inhaler in the pocket of his hoodie, Enzo stared stoically ahead as Nik brought up what they had talked about.

Augustine.

His breath did a weird little thing, hitching a little with every other beat of his heart, and he had to focus on the far side of the room to keep the urge to run at bay.

"I know there have been questions about Lorenzo's repeated health issues. _Rumors…_ A worry that something like it could happen during the playoffs. - We would like to address those issues once and for all. - As you know, Lorenzo suffers from asthma. That's never been a secret… And it's true that that was the main reason behind the complications we were dealing with following a case of influenza. He went back to play too quickly after the initial sickness and relapsed, and had to be hospitalized. - Now here lies our problem…"

He zoned out, unable to listen, hearing Nik's voice without quite understanding the words, watching the faces of the reporters without really seeing them. Pressing his lips together, he swayed slightly on his feet, a little dazed, jolting out of it only when he heard Nik clear his throat, saying his name, then repeating it.

"Lorenzo."

A light nudge of Damon's hand to his arm made him stiffen, forcing himself to pull it together before he made a complete fool of himself. If it wasn't too late for that…

Swallowing, he raised his chin a bit, needing something, a cue, anything to clue him in on what exactly he was supposed to do or say…

Only then did his brain process what he had heard. Klaus had explained the connection between his reluctance to go to the hospital, the relapse, Augustine - the school and the clinic… He had given an account of what had happened there: the restraints, the doctors, Whitmore, the experimental treatments, so many details of his ordeal that these people didn't need to know. They didn't need to know…

* * *

…

Caroline shot Bonnie worried sideways glances as she listened to Klaus, watching him in the light of the camera, flashes clicking here and there, microphones in front of him. And poor Bonnie looked so anxious, so worried, that Caroline just had to pull her toward her a little.

"Klaus's got this," she assured the other girl, but Bonnie didn't look very convinced. Hugging herself, she leaned against Care briefly, then sat up straighter again to stare at the little phone screen, gnawing on her fingers as she did, and Caroline sighed. She only hoped Klaus's decision to go through with this wouldn't end up hurting her friend.

Focusing back on the live stream, she kept listening to Klaus's words, feeling a lump lodge in her throat.

"They waterboarded him?" she gasped at some point, exchanging a glance with Bonnie, shaken when her girlfriend merely nodded.

"Not the worst they did…"

Caroline wasn't sure she wanted to hear any more, but for Bonnie, she stayed put, kept watching.

On screen Klaus looked like he always did when he was talking business: collected, in control, and a bit threatening - even though he was just talking. Well… He sounded angry now, really angry, and cold.

"A court case is currently being prepared," he was saying, "As far as we know, Lorenzo's experiences are certainly among the worst - maybe _the_ worst - in relation to the Augustine Society, but they're not the only bad ones we know about. I can even add a few stories of myself from my time as a boarding school student…" Klaus almost snarled, and for a moment Caroline thought he was going to talk about himself now, that she'd learn a bit more about him, too. But then he reined himself in, looking straight into the camera.

"For now the important thing is that they are finally held accountable for what they did, for abusing and torturing those in their care. Therefore we are supporting a court case that's currently being put together. - We realized the importance of that after these latest incidents. Athletes like Lorenzo still suffer because of the torture they endured under the guise of medical treatment. With his underlying condition, his - understandable - refusal to seek medical help at a hospital could have easily killed him. We got lucky that he had great support in Dr. Bonnie Bennett, who made sure he got the treatment he needed."

Caroline nudged Bonnie. "He mentioned you," she said, eyes wide, a bit giddy, but Bonnie was too focused on the screen.

"Oh gosh," her friend muttered, gnawing on her thumb until Caroline gently pulled her hand away and Bonnie finally acknowledged her.

"You are gonna make yourself bleed," she said, and Bonnie pulled her sleeves over her hands, muttering, "I'm sorry. It's just… Look at him. He wants to be anywhere but there. I should have stopped this. He's not ready, just like I said. I knew this was too early for something like this. He's just… not ready…"

"It'll be over soon, Klaus will make sure they'll leave him alone…" Caroline trailed off at seeing Bonnie's sad smile. It didn't matter that it was over soon when the damage was already done…

With a sigh, she focused back on the screen, unsure of what to do or say anymore. This was bad; and once it was done she'd have to ask Klaus whether he still thought it had been worth it…

* * *

...

"We'll answer a few questions now. But I'll have to ask you to understand that we might not be able to answer all of them - and to please be respectful - and mindful of the impact all this has on Lorenzo."

Questions? Had he heard that right? Enzo clenched his jaw, trying to keep breathing as he forced himself to not shoot a glare in Nik's direction. What was this? It certainly wasn't the quick and painless statement Nik had said it would be. Now he was supposed to answer bloody questions? As if these people hadn't gotten enough from him already? He should have never agreed to this… What kind of questions did they expect him to answer for them?

"Lorenzo!" someone hollered, others called him by his last name, and he had no idea what to do, with who to start, until Nik picked someone for him.

"The relationship between you and Dr. Bennett, how rocky did it start with your past experiences with medical personnel?"

Enzo pressed his lips together, smiling a disbelieving smile, actually a bit amused - which was more than could be said about Nik beside him apparently. Before Enzo had a chance to even attempt to reply, he was on the reporter, staring the man down.

"Is that really the way you want to handle this? Are you that desperate for a new career?"

"Klaus," Damon beside them mumbled out of the corner of his mouth, and the man calmed down a bit again.

"The personal relationship of Lorenzo and Dr. Bennett is not up for discussion here. If there are any other questions more on topic…?"

Arms were raised again as if this was school, people started asking their questions, overlapping each other, and Enzo had the weird feeling of a wave of words coming at him, ready to crush him.

If only he could remember to breathe…

"Why did you not come forward earlier?" someone then asked, and most everyone else quieted down. "Why now?"

What a great question. Was it really because of Lily? People digging for the truth? He had no bloody clue. What did it even mean, anyway? Was Nik trying to protect Enzo? Or just himself? If anyone found out about Lily… What had Enzo done? Nothing. Finally, he truly understood what Bonnie had said to him before, Dr. Emily Rosen, too. That it had been on Lily. He had nothing to be ashamed of, had done nothing wrong.

Lily had.

Looking to Nik briefly, feeling more and more annoyed, he then turned to the man who had asked.

"Because it hurt too much," he allowed, the raw truth of his statement making the room fall completely silent. "Maybe that was selfish, or weak…" He scoffed, shrugging, not caring what these people thought of him. "But I couldn't speak out. Not until now that I have someone supporting me."

"Bonnie Bennett?" someone asked, maybe the same person from the beginning, and Enzo had to genuinely smile. "Klaus?" someone else asked, and Enzo replied to both of them combined with a mere, "Yuh."

There was a storm of more questions, and he braved it as best as he could, answering them, some of them almost too tough, taking his breath away, but he kept on going, kept on answering until Klaus rather abruptly told them all to leave him alone, told them it was over, and with a light pat on Enzo's shoulder he muttered a quiet, "You did good. Now get your girl, and Damon and I'll keep this horde in here for a few more minutes so you two can leave undisturbed."

"I got this," Damon said with a wink at Enzo before turning to the sea of reporters and getting on the task.

"Anyone got any questions for me, too? Or should I be jealous of poor Enzo's rough past?" he said, and instantly the media representatives were on him...

Giving Enzo space to just walk away, pulling up his hood as he did, a few security guards making sure he was left alone when he finally made his way out, past the reporters, out the door and into the cool hallway outside, where he tried to take a deep breath, not quite successful.

Closing his eyes, he forced himself to keep calm, keep breathing, absently fidgeting with his inhaler until he felt someone's light touch over his hand - _her_ touch - and when he looked, he saw her standing right before him, and he had to smile.

"Bonnie…"

Her hand found the way into his pocket where she fished out the inhaler for him, handing it over. "Use it," she said, her voice soft but insistent and with a wry expression he did as he was told.

"I'm proud of you, " she said, her arm coming around him as she lightly pushed him to keep walking with her, and he slowly followed, waiting for more air to reach his lungs. "Now let's get the hell out of here."

"I'll go anywhere with you, love."

* * *

...

They went home quickly. Bonnie shot a glance at Caroline, who was waving at her from where she stood waiting for Klaus, mouthing a question. _He okay?_

Bonnie nodded, hoping it was really true, because she could tell that Enzo was definitely shaken even though he was trying not to show it.

Then they kept going, out, until they got to the car, and the ride home went by in a blur. Neither of them was speaking much as a driver took them all the way to their apartment, and by the time they were facing the 86 stairs again, Bonnie took Enzo's hand in hers, holding it in a tight grip as they both ascended, taking it slowly tonight, slower than the last few weeks, and when they had finally made it all the way up and could open the door, a tension fell off of both of them.

They dropped all their things, the door banging shut behind them as they faced each other briefly, before the urge, the force to be with each other grew so strong that Bonnie half rushed toward Enzo, pulling at his hoodie until he took it off with a few quick movements while she was already busy taking her own jacket off, her shirt, her bra, then shimmying out of her skirt and panties without further ado.

A need had taken ahold of her, something strong and primal that she could see reflected in his eyes, and when she flung herself at him and he lifted her up, she straddled him naturally, pushing herself into him, needing him, everywhere.

Her mouth on his, she danced an intimate dance with him, her tongue exploring the rows of his teeth, her hand gripping him, guiding him where she needed him while she felt him hold her, carry her over toward the living room.

But they never made it.

He pushed her up against the wall by the kitchen instead, something cluttering as it shook a little with the movement, and she chuckled briefly, her features going slack as his fingers briefly touched her where the tingle was strongest before moving on, so slowly, drawing circles, lines, writing some secret message she couldn't decipher, and she was so close now, on the verge, and just when she came, gripping him hard, staring right at him, their gazes locking, he pushed into her, filling her right where she wanted it, needed it, where she had been too empty before, and he kept going, her fingers digging into his shoulders, his back, urging him on…

"Harder."

She needed this so bad, needed him, needed to be one with him.

Then, when he, too, came with a shudder, burying his face against her neck, she just clung to him, holding on as if for dear life, and she knew she never wanted to let this man go again.

They were finally home. They were together, and whatever had happened today and would happen now, she would see it through with him..

.

Afterward, they took another shower, then Bonnie went over to the bed, flopping down with her legs crossed, waiting for him as he put a fresh shirt on.

He gave her a look, a half smile, and she smiled right back.

"You coming?"

He pressed his lips together, running his hands through his hair, and she followed the movement with her eyes, marveling at how nice his hands were, his fingers, his arms, too…

"Mind if I go play my guitar for a bit?" he then asked, his voice a low whisper, and she shook her head.

"Of course not… Can I come, or do you need a moment?"

She was worried about him, still. They hadn't really talked much about the stupid press conference, but she could tell that it had been a lot for him to deal with. His wish to play the guitar was of course a way for him to procrastinate on going to bed, and she knew she'd probably have to make sure he wasn't just going to stay up all night.

But that was okay, too. She could do that, could look out for him. Because she loved him.

When he replied with a soft, "I'd love your company," she smiled and quickly got up, intertwining her arm with his as they went over to the living room, where he grabbed his guitar, strumming a few chords just to test as she cuddled up with him. Soon, he began playing for real, and she felt herself growing drowsy, his song pulling her with it, and then, when he actually began to sing - rather soft and quiet - she shot him a surprised look that he answered with a brief smile and a kiss on her forehead before he continued on, and she closed her eyes, just listening.

This… was beautiful.


	26. Fine again

_Sorry this took so long. I had already written about 3,000+ words before I decided it was just not good enough and had to start all over again. Sigh._

_Hoping it's better now. It's certainly long. Maybe that'll make up for the wait. :)_

_Anyways. I'm thinking there'll probably be one more chapter, maybe two if you guys would like one with a few time jumps to see how our dear Bonenzo are faring through the years. We shall see. _

_..._

_Guest: Aw, thank you! So happy you're still liking it. I know, there's so much to still explore and I'm not sure I'm going to be able to do that. I already have a bit of a hard time letting this story go. lol. The Klaus and Enzo backstory would almost be worth a little story of its own, but I'll show you at least a glimpse here, hoping it'll give you a bit more "insight."_

_We'll also see how Enzo is faring with the whole reveal of his past stint at Augustine._

_Hope you had a great (if you're in the US: a nice long) weekend, too :) _

_Thanks as always! I adore your feedback so much!_

* * *

…

When Bonnie and Enzo went to practice together the week following the press conference, there were always reporters waiting for them outside - outside their apartment, outside the stadium, outside any place they went - and always with more questions.

Bonnie would usually just grab Enzo's hand, holding it tightly as she pulled him along, trying her best to shield him. Together they'd make their way to the car and away, always in a rush, never looking back.

These people simply didn't seem to be able to leave Enzo alone and Bonnie hated it, hated what this did to him. Everyone wanted more details, more pictures, always more. More pain, more fear, more grueling insights into his ordeal. Then they wanted to hear all about how he and Bonnie had become a couple when he disliked doctors so much, or asked him about other people's stories that had been unearthed in the meantime, trying to make comparisons.

"This guy said they electroshocked him whenever he refused to eat what they gave him; was that something they did to you, too?"

"A woman showed us pictures of her raw wrists and ankles; can you confirm that the restraints were put on too tightly and chafed the skin?"

"Did you and Bonnie hit it off right away or were you sceptic of her and what she stood for?"

"How do you handle being in a relationship with a doctor?"

"Isn't it unprofessional to have Dr. Bennett assess your health? How _is_ your health anyways?"

"Will the asthma always be an issue? What will you do if you have another attack, or another cold or flu exacerbating your symptoms? Is your health a liability for the Hybrids at this stage?"

"Did you keep in touch with anyone else from your time at Augustine, or just Klaus Mikaelson?"

"Now that the Vampire is back, what will happen to your position in the starting lineup?"

"Damon and you are friends; did he know?"

And so on and so forth; every freaking day. Bonnie was so tired of it, she could only imagine how it was for Enzo. She could see him grow more restless, more hot tempered every day, and she was getting a little worried he could snap at these reporters soon, and then they'd have yet another story to share about him, making him even more vulnerable.

Today was no exception. A group of media representatives was waiting for them by the entrance to the stadium when they got there, the only difference being that the amount of questions regarding the playoffs had increased a bit, clearly because the Hybrids were due to play their first game that same night.

Still, Enzo gave a weary sigh when Bonnie grabbed his hand, tugging him along with her.

"Come on. We'll be quick. Just ignore them… It'll get better," she muttered, cajoling, smiling up at him as he made a face, looking worn and annoyed. "Eventually, they'll get tired of this and leave you alone again. Until then, you just focus on the game, answer them on the court."

"Sounds easy when you say it."

She smiled as the door opened for them and they could finally vanish into the building, leaving the craziness behind. When they reached the hallway to the locker rooms, they stopped in their tracks, and she slung her arms around his neck, pressing her body against his.

"I have a check up date with Damon now and then a meeting with the head of staff…"

Enzo's eyes flickered as he smirked. "Take it easy on Damon. I think he's having a hard time with how things are at the moment."

She wagged her eyebrows, grinning. "He's not the only one, is he?"

Enzo grimaced, then just kissed her in lieu of an answer.

"Alright, love, you have your dates, and I have mine with the weight room. See you in a bit."

"See you in a bit…" She felt a little lost when he started walking away, an odd foreboding feeling creeping up inside of her and she called out to him again before he could vanish from sight. "Enzo?"

He turned around while walking, smiling at her. "I love you, Bonnie Bennett," he said and her features morphed into an instant smile of her own.

"I love _you_," she called out, not caring whether anyone could hear them, could call them cheesy. Then she watched him disappear from her view before she, too, went on her way.

* * *

…

Looking out the window of his office, Klaus saw the reporters finally get on their ways after Enzo had vanished into the building minutes before, and he uncrossed his arms, starting to pace.

Had this been worth it? According to his sources, the rumors surrounding Lily Salvatore had died down almost completely, and the Augustine Society was in serious trouble. There had been raids following him going public on Lorenzo's behalf, more and more people coming forward with their own stories. The first few of their institutions had begun to close down, and Emily Rosen had reported good things about bringing the case forward.

Unfortunately, Dr. Whitmore had escaped, but the police were looking for him now, and Klaus was hopeful they'd find him. After all, he had also sent his own people out after the man…

Still. Lorenzo was having a tough week, and that right before the playoffs would start, the first game due tonight. Maybe the timing hadn't been as smart as Klaus had thought. He had hoped the playoffs would soon make everyone refocus back on the game, but now he was worried that maybe Bonnie Bennett had been right and all this was indeed too much pressure on his best player. What if the kid couldn't deliver?

Klaus had put so much effort and dedication into this endeavor, into building his own basketball team, competing with the big names in the NBA. He had everything to lose if it didn't work out, and while he could argue that it had been working out just fine so far and no one could take this first success away from him - reaching the playoffs - he had made one potential mistake.

He had _bet_ on reaching round two, had used it as a means to solidify his claim on the city as his own, and his opponents were just waiting for him to lose it all, lose his team, lose the city, his home, his empire - and he had worked too damn hard for it.

Never had he wanted to be that boy again who had been abandoned by his parents. The child of an affair, they had sent him away to the Augustine Society boarding school while his siblings had been allowed to stay home...

He remembered his time there all too well. More often than not he had "acted up" as the teachers had called it, and the people in charge there had punished his behavior by beating him and keeping him isolated from the other students for weeks on end. They had surely thought it would break him, but it had only made him stronger, harder.

It had been during his last year there that he had met Lorenzo St. John, the incredibly talented child of parents that had abandoned him at the school similarly to how Klaus's parents had abandoned him. But unlike Klaus, who had at least still had his siblings to send him messages, call him, to show up for family day, Lorenzo had had no one. No one ever wrote him, no one ever visited, and the only thing he had ever seen the boy do was use all his free time to just play ball.

It shouldn't have mattered, Klaus shouldn't have cared, but for some inexplicable reason, he had begun to do just that. He had begun to care about Lorenzo.

One day he had started to watch the kid when he played, had seen his impressive if raw talent. Klaus hadn't been the only one who had realized the exceptional potential, of course. Soon, he had watched the coaches train the kid, relentlessly drill him, always on his case to make him better - until he would collapse. Klaus had witnessed it happening multiple times, never commenting or trying to report it or even trying to help the boy. He had simply watched.

Until one morning, he had realized that despite everything, the boy didn't ever lose his love for playing ball, would keep playing in his free time, too, always shooting baskets, never giving up. And it had impressed Klaus. There had been someone like him, abandoned by his family, dumped at boarding school, mistreated by people that should have looked out for him, but instead of giving up, he had just kept doing his thing.

That had been the moment he had realized something about himself: if he wanted to make it through this awful school without breaking, if he wanted to have any kind of takeaway, he needed to focus on something _he_ liked doing the way this boy liked playing ball, then keep doing that.

… And he had decided to start looking out for Lorenzo, something he had continued to do to some degree ever since; maybe as a reminder of how things had been, maybe for some other reason he didn't quite understand.

If only he could have protected the kid from the influence of the Salvatore family, too...

With a sigh, Klaus forced himself to not dwell on the past. It was never good to do that, certainly not when the present held so much for him to deal with. His phone rang just then as if to underscore his point, and his features involuntarily softened at seeing Caroline's name pop up on the display.

"Hello, Caroline," he drawled, answering the call, shoving his past even further away as he focused his attention on her: his present, and quite possibly his future...

* * *

…

With a thudding noise, the ball went into the basket, again and again and again. After he had spent a good amount of time in the weight room, trying to leave all his pent up anger and frustration - all that negative energy - in there, Enzo had gone on to work with a shooting coach he had paid out of his own pocket for exactly this purpose: making him even better at hitting his target.

"You make us all look bad, man," Marcel said, chuckling as he bumped Enzo's upper arm, just as the hired coach was giving Enzo a handshake goodbye before getting on his way.

"What in the world would you need a shooting coach for anyways?"

"You tell him, Marcel," another voice piped up, and Enzo had to groan a little when he saw Damon swagger over, a shit-eating grin plastered all over his face. "Then again," his friend continued, "it's probably because he knows I'm back now and if he wants to keep his spot in the starting lineup, he'll need to step up his game."

Scoffing, Enzo decided to not grace any of that with a comment, focusing on completing his training instead. He aimed at the basket again, getting ready, and just when he moved his arm up, Damon suddenly bumped into him, hard.

He lost his grip mid-throw, ruining the trajectory and not surprisingly the ball didn't even make it close - which clearly amused Damon to no end.

"Awwww," he taunted with mock-sympathy, and Enzo glared at him, narrowing his eyes as he grew more and more tired of Damon's antics.

"What's your problem?"

Damon opened his arms wide, looking from Enzo to where Marcel was still standing, shrugging at him before returning his focus to Enzo.

"Just a reminder that even the best shooting techniques won't help when you lose focus on the defense."

Rolling his eyes, Enzo shook his head, telling himself to just walk away. It was rather obvious that Damon was out for a confrontation, probably dealing with his inferiority complex again, and it was never a good idea to engage with him when he was like that.

And yet, he couldn't help feeling fed up with it, with the constant tiptoeing around Damon and catering to his needs - or, come to think of it, every-fucking-one else's needs: the bloody media, Nik, Lily - hell, the entire Salvatore family, the public, everyone. He was bloody done.

So he took a deep breath and just stared hard at Damon, clenching his teeth, gauging the other man as he took a few steps toward him until he stood barely an inch away from him. Yet Damon didn't budge.

"You're scared," Enzo told him, smirking at the other man, and he could feel a wave of anger ripple through Damon.

"Scared?" Damon scoffed. "Of you and your shooting coach?"

Enzo raised an eyebrow, tilting his head as he took his friend in, that grin that didn't reach the eyes, the lines around his mouth, all telling signs that Damon was not quite happy.

"That I could be better," he then said, smirking.

"Guys. Come on, save your energy and fighting spirit for Harden tonight," Marcel interjected just then, trying to get their attention. He had raised his hands, standing beside his two teammates with an appeasing look on his face, but after a brief sideways glance at him, Enzo returned his attention to Damon, who was still grinning at him as they continued to size each other up.

"Better than who? Me?" Damon asked, ignoring Marcel completely, and Enzo raised his chin a bit, merely shrugging. They both knew that was exactly what he had meant. "Yeah," Damon continued, sniffing. "I don't think so. And guess what: your lovely girlfriend - my dear friend Bonnie - has cleared me for tonight's game. No more restrictions. So we can see who will play more - and who's _really_ better."

Enzo chuckled, just jerking his head in a half shake before he moved to walk away. He didn't need this crap…

But Damon seemed to think otherwise. Grabbing Enzo's upper arm, he kept him from walking, and Enzo glared at the hand on his arm, suddenly bristling.

"Take your hand off me." His tone cold and commanding, he looked up at Damon's face, seeing a flicker go through his friend's eyes. Something passed between them, a strange charged moment, then Damon abruptly pulled away.

"Let's just focus on the game tonight, yeah?" Marcel said, having gone on to pat both of them on the shoulder as he tried steering them toward their teammates, audibly sighing when it seemed to work. "Listen," he continued, and Enzo could still feel Marcel's hand on his shoulder, making him clench his jaw. "Whatever's going on between you guys? Don't bring it here. We need you both. Alright?"

When neither he nor Damon replied, Marcel tightened his grip on them, looking from one to the other. "I said, _alright_? You better answer this in the affirmative or I'll go straight over to Saltzman and the big bad wolf."

"You know he hates that name," Enzo couldn't help but note, and Marcel scoffed.

"That's exactly why I'll always call him that."

They all had to grin, Damon began chuckling, and Enzo ran a hand over his face, forcing himself to pull himself together. Marcel was right, of course. They needed their energy to try and beat Houston, not to fight among each other.

Still, he couldn't quite shake off that look Damon had given him earlier, the biting tone of his voice, the obvious hurt he had tried to hide, had tried to fight by lashing out. Something Enzo was all too familiar with himself.

* * *

…

"Hey!" Caroline came up to Klaus, a big smile on her face as he grabbed her hand, pulling her close.

"Caroline Forbes, as stunningly beautiful as ever. - Shall we?"

Rolling her eyes a bit, she couldn't help but feel flattered anyways. Even though he hadn't exactly been very subtle or unique. Still, this man just held a power over her she couldn't seem to fight, and if she was being honest, she was done feeling bad about that. Why the hell couldn't she just enjoy it while it lasted, bask a bit in his attention, in the way he treated her and showed her parts of his world?

… Maybe because he didn't exactly show her anything of importance? Sure, he took her to fancy restaurants, or the games - like right now where they were making their way to their seats, ready to watch the first game of the playoffs. But what about anything of meaning? She hadn't met his family - anywhere other than at the games that was. She hadn't learned anything about his childhood, or the time he had spent at the Augustine boarding school, or anything really.

With a sigh, she shot him a sideways glance, her smile suddenly a lot smaller. "You think you could tell me a bit more about yourself sometime?" she then asked as they kept walking and he looked at her curiously.

"Is this going to be a job interview?"

Scoffing, she shook her head. "No. I just… I want to know more about you. There's so much I don't know. Like… your family, your parents, why you came over here, to the US. Or how you really met Enzo. And… I get if you don't want to talk about it, but after what I heard at the press conference, I guess I'm worried about you. Did they do anything like that to you, too?" She gnawed on her lip for a moment, unsure of how to word it, or whether she even needed to. Then she just did. "The… torture?"

Klaus sighed, making a face, and for a moment she was sure he wouldn't acknowledge her question at all, but then they got to their seats and before she could sit down, he grabbed her by the shoulders, staring at her until she began to feel rather uneasy.

"We will talk about this, Caroline, some day, I promise you. But today is not that day. Okay?"

"Okay," she said, probably giving up way too quickly, but she didn't want to fight, certainly not here or now, and certainly not about something potentially rather painful. And when Klaus gave her a genuine smile, she knew it had been the right decision.

Maybe she could ask Bonnie later, though, whether Enzo had ever mentioned Klaus…

"Thank you, love."

"Uh huh… - So," she began to change the subject, "Bonnie mentioned Damon got cleared to play full-time again. Is he gonna start, or Enzo? Or how do you think the coach is going to split their time?"

Klaus's eyes flickered darkly, and Caroline made a concerned face as she finally sat down with him. Clearly this topic hadn't been a great idea either…

"That's up to Alaric of course."

"Right…" She rolled her eyes at his obvious evasion. As if she was to believe that he didn't call the shots, didn't constantly make decisions like that, whether coach Saltzman liked it or not. "I'm guessing Enzo will start," she therefore said, going with his unexplained but obvious preference of Enzo over Damon, "And Damon won't like it. Does that sound about right?"

"You're clever, Caroline. I'll give you that." He grinned at her, and she smiled back.

"Should be interesting to see how they'll deal with having competition on their own team…"

"Yes…"

She shot him another sideways glance, catching the darkness returning to his gaze, then the first quarter started and she focused her attention on the court for a while. For Bonnie she hoped that Enzo and Damon would manage to figure this out, but she knew that if they didn't, Klaus would probably do it for them and she wasn't sure anyone was going to like that.

* * *

...

"Good luck out there." Bonnie leaned in to kiss Enzo, smiling up at him before he made his way out of the hallway and to the court, and as she watched him go, she felt someone else approach behind her back. Turning around, she saw Damon grinning at her before he casually put an arm around her.

"BonBon, this is gonna be epic," he said, both of them watching Enzo disappear from view now, and she shot him a glance, frowning.

"Shouldn't you be on your way, too?"

"But I am! Just here to quickly thank my favorite doc for clearing me. Was about time, too. Before the team completely forgets how much I've done for them."

His tone was still chipper, but Bonnie was sure she had detected a note of bitterness in it anyways, and it only deepened her frown.

"What's going on, Damon? You and Enzo are not fighting, are you?"

"What?! Noooo," he dragged the last word out, looking at her innocently, but she didn't buy it - especially since Enzo had been in a rather off mood earlier, and when she had asked whether anything had happened at practice, he had smiled at her and denied it a little too quickly.

"Good," she now told Damon, "because we don't need that right now."

"I know, I know. We gotta be gentle with the tortured soul-"

"Damon," she interrupted him warningly, but he spoke over her as if she hadn't said anything.

"He's been through so much lately. My lovely mother and her demise, that Augustine crap, poor guy, blah blah blah… Plus, Harden and CP3 are not just gonna let us win because we deserve a break. I get it, Bon. Totally do. So no, we're not fighting. Not really."

"'Not really'?" She shot him a bemused look, annoyed with him now, with the way he had talked about Enzo, that half mocking tone.

"Just a healthy dose of competitiveness. Don't worry, BonBon. We're cool. Lorenzo and I tick a little differently, it's how we roll, a bit of fight, a bit of competition. When the going gets tough we sometimes have to let off steam." He grinned at her, but it didn't make her feel one bit better.

"Just… don't, Damon. Okay? Whatever is going on, it's not worth fighting over. You two are friends, remember? You've been through so much together, I'm sure you can figure this one out, too. If it's because Enzo is starting tonight-"

"That's not an issue. He's earned it."

If he thought she was going to buy that, he was utterly wrong. So that really was the crux: Enzo was starting, and Damon was upset. Part of her could even understand it. After all, he had been through a lot, too, the loss of his mother, the struggles with his brother, then of course his leg, and now he had lost his secure position because Enzo had had such an exceptional run while Damon had been unable to play. That wouldn't have been easy for anyone.

"Yes," she now said, "he _has_ earned it. But you'll find a way to get back in the game, too. And you know how it is, there will be a time for him to play and a time for you."

"Just sucks that we're both playing the same position…" Damon trailed off, his face showing that he hadn't intended to admit that. Nudging him lightly, she smiled at him now.

"Come on, you gotta get going. And for what it's worth, Enzo has actually said that he agrees with you that maybe he should try and move to the small forward position. That would help with your problem, wouldn't it?"

"He said that?" Damon's surprised frown made Bonnie smile.

"Uh huh… - Just, give him - and the coaching staff - some time to figure it all out. Nothing will change overnight, certainly not right in the middle of the playoffs. But they need you, Damon. Enzo needs you, too."

He looked at her with a curious expression on his face, as if he was really weighing the truth of her words. Then, when she was about to warn him again that he really needed to go, he nodded, a genuine smile on his features.

"You're right," he said, surprising her with a kiss on her cheek that made her chuckle, then he, too, jogged off, waving at her before catching up to his teammates. "Cross your fingers for a win, Bon!"

"Of course!" she hollered back, holding up her fingers as she walked out after him, finding her spot by the sidelines, where Luke was already waiting.

"Everything alright?" he asked, and when she looked at him and nodded, she realized that she really meant it.

* * *

…

It was a fast and tough game. Two quarters in, and the Hybrids found themselves over twenty points behind. Not good. Enzo gritted his teeth as he came out of another iso situation without having made the important points they so desperately needed and he was growing more and more frustrated. Harden was doing his usual thing, playing well - flopping well, too. The refs were all over him, and Enzo's patience was running thin.

Half time came around, and the coach gave them all a good pep talk, then announced Damon would be playing the next stretch, making Enzo force himself to not be too upset about it, which wasn't easy. He wanted to play. He _needed_ to play.

"Here." He blinked as he saw Bonnie suddenly appear by his side, jolting him out of his thoughts as she handed him the inhaler, a smile forming on his features as their gazes met.

"Thanks, love, but I don't think I need it."

Raising an eyebrow, she looked at him. "You arguing with your doctor? Because I have it on good authority that you are not supposed to do that."

With a chuckle and an eyeroll, he took the stupid thing from her, taking a puff just to please her, and he had to grudgingly admit to himself that it did indeed make a difference.

"Better?"

"Better," he allowed, quickly stealing a hug, making her chuckle before she gently slapped his arms.

"Not here…"

Smirking at her, he leaned down to kiss her, then muttered, "Here and anywhere else, love," before pulling away reluctantly to return to his team. Feeling her smile behind his back made him square his shoulders and lose some of his tension. Maybe the first half of the game had sucked, maybe Damon would be playing for a bit now instead of him, but Bonnie was still here, by his side, and that was all that really mattered.

* * *

…

This was his chance. Damon clapped his hands briefly, grinning at the coach before he jogged onto the court, ready for the second half of the game to begin, ready for his first appearance during these playoffs. He'd better make it a good one.

Looking back briefly, he spotted Bonnie smiling an encouraging smile at him, saw Enzo nod in his direction, and he felt a sudden pang. He had been so… upset before, had watched himself behave more and more like an asshole toward his best friend only to learn from Bonnie that the kid was actually willing to consider a change of position, and just because of Damon.

Was that really true?

He had no time to think about that now, however, because the game was in full swing and DeShawn had just passed him the ball, an opportunity coming up as he saw a hole in the opposing team's defensive line. Sure enough, he managed to get a nice half court shot in, the crowd cheering him on, and it was as if he had never been gone.

This wasn't his first game back anymore, and yet it still felt like a return, a chance to show them that the Vampire was indeed back, that he could still do it.

.

Fifteen minutes later, Damon had just begun to really feel at home again, and his team had cut it down to a ten point difference, when Coach Ric took him back out of the game. Gritting his teeth, he glared at the man, stalling for another minute before eventually following orders, if only with a curse uttered under his breath, too quiet for Alaric to hear the words. But the man knew that it hadn't been pleasant, and he gruffly glared as Damon took his seat on the bench, pulling a long sleeve over his jersey to stay warm while watching Enzo return into the game.

Turning, he noticed Bonnie's cheeks flush as she watched her boyfriend, and when her gaze met Damon's, she abruptly looked away, a sheepish grin still playing across her features, and Damon found himself fighting a smirk and an eyeroll. Gosh, these two were too cute for their own good, and it made him kind of… jealous - no, uncomfortable… Okay, maybe both.

When he returned his focus to the game, the Hybrids were two points up, Harden flopped, so obviously - and the refs called the foul.

"What?!" Damon rolled his eyes, thumping a fist onto his thigh in anger. "You're really gonna call that?!"

"Damon, shut it," Omary, one of the assistant coaches, warned him, clearly fearing a technical foul to be called on Damon if he wouldn't keep quiet, and he made a face.

"Ya ya ya," he muttered, raising both hands briefly before he watched the Rocket's star player make both shots from the charity stripe before the game continued.

The longer the game went, the more frustrated Damon grew, about the refs' calls, Harden's mix of insanely good play and atrocious amount of flopping, his own team's struggle to keep going, and the Coach's refusal to put him back in the game because of course Enzo was the only fucking one that still scored decently on their team.

He could barely watch anymore by the time the fourth quarter began, running both hands over his face as the difference in points returned to almost 18. The chance for them to win this first game were slowly but surely dwindling away, and it would have been so necessary for morale.

He looked back up right in time to see his best friend and fiercest competition fly up for a nice dunk, an opponent jumping up at the same time to intercept, but too late. The ball went in and a relieved "yes!" escaped Damon before he high fived his teammate beside him. But then his features abruptly froze as he saw the Rockets' player's elbow connect with Enzo's face - or maybe throat? - on the way down, his friend's head snapping back before he went down hard.

Chris Paul had already caught the rebound, however, and the game continued on as Houston pushed for the next points, the refs ignoring what in Damon's opinion should have been a clear foul call, and when he realized Enzo wasn't getting up either, something inside of him exploded.

Jumping off the bench, he raced to the nearest referee, yelling in the man's face.

"Why the fuck aren't you calling this? Stop the fucking game! What the hell?! Is Harden paying you to make calls in his favor? That it?! How much do _I_ need to pay you, huh? Huh?!"

Suddenly, everything went a little crazy as he just ran onto the court, ignoring the coach yelling at him, the ref trying to stop him, but Damon was already walking toward where his friend was still lying on his side, not getting up.

Finally the rest of the world seemed to be catching on to the fact that this was all fucked up, too, and the game was being stopped maybe a second after Damon had made it over to Enzo, bending down to nudge the kid's arm.

"You alright?"

But it was clear to him pretty quickly that "alright" was probably not what Enzo was. To his relief, he saw Bonnie and Luke sprinting over, someone pulling him away as Bon went to her knees by Enzo's side, and while he kept watching them, people were yelling in his face, refs, the coach, someone shoving him further away as it vaguely registered with him that he had been ejected.

They had ejected him for coming to his friend's aid. Scoffing in disbelief, he stared at the coach before him, Alaric's face a mask of both anger and… compassion perhaps. The man's hand came up to grab Damon by the neck, before he hissed, "You need to calm down! The fuck is wrong with you?"

"Did you not see that? That guy gets to basically punch one of ours so he doesn't even get up anymore, and we don't even get a free throw out of it? But Harden fucking flops right in front of their noses and he gets every fucking call? Seriously?!"

"Damon." There was an unspoken threat in Ric's tone, the grip of his hand on Damon's neck tightening. "You realize you just got ejected for this?"

"Coach, Enzo didn't even get back up."

"I saw that. Okay? I get it. I'm as angry as you are, and as worried. But if we lose the kid now, we won't have you to play instead, either…"

Slowly the words got through to him, his heart thudding too loudly in his chest. He had gotten himself ejected when he had only been sitting on the bench. Ejected…

Fuck that.

"Well, we better all hope that the kid is okay then," Damon gritted out, pushing the assistants away that had arrived to accompany him off the court. "Fuck this," he said, glaring at Ric, then he stalked off, still fuming, still so very angry.

And worried.

* * *

…

Bonnie had panicked the second she had seen Enzo get hit in the throat by an elbow, had seen his head hyperextend before he had gone down, and she had jumped to her feet that very moment, her heart beating too fast as she had waited for them to stop the clock, stop the game so she could go and check on him.

But it had taken Damon to just run out there to make the refs realize what was going on and finally do something, and she had waited with bated breath until she could finally run out there, too, holding her bag with supplies in a too tight grip.

Now she was kneeling beside him, bending down low until she could see his face, all scrunched up and half pressed against the court floor.

"Enzo, I need to take a look, okay? Can you sit up for me?"

His breathing didn't sound too good, which wasn't too surprising after a hit to the throat, but she needed to make sure his airways weren't becoming obstructed. They needed to get him to sit up. Exchanging a glance with Luke, she saw him nod at her, then motion over to some of the other team members, and within seconds, DeShawn, Marcel and Jamarcus were all by her side.

"He be alright, doc?" Jamarcus asked nervously, but DeShawn pushed him to the side, kneeling down too.

"What can we do?"

"We need to get him into a sitting position so he can breathe. But I'll have to stabilize the neck first."

"On your word then."

Nodding, she bit her lip, bending down again until her face was level with Enzo's. Smiling, she gently touched his cheek.

"This is just a precaution, but I'll have to immobilize your neck with a brace before we can rule out any further damage."

His gaze met hers for the first time, panic flickering through his eyes as he clutched her arm. "Can't. Breathe…"

"I know. It's probably from the hit you received against the throat. It's not your lungs, okay? That's good. We'll take care of it. But we'll have to sit you up so your airways stay clear. And for that I'll need to put this around your neck. Okay?"

He stared at her, the stridor sound from his breathing harsh and grating, making her skin erupt in goosebumps. Quickly, she went to work, then nodded to his teammates who helped her pull Enzo up until he was sitting, DeShawn positioning himself right behind him so he wouldn't fall over.

"How's it look?"

Bonnie stared up briefly to see that the Coach and Klaus had appeared on the scene. "Will he be able to play?" the coach said, and she couldn't suppress a loud scoff.

"No," she said, "not today. Not before we've ruled out any more serious injury. He can barely breathe."

"Fuck," Ric cursed, angrily whirling around and storming over somewhere else, but Bonnie didn't pay attention, just focused on Enzo, her hands carefully palpating the soft tissue of his throat while Luke got some ice packs ready to cool the area.

Someone had brought over a stretcher, but when Enzo's gaze fell on it, his eyes widened and he stared at Bonnie, trying to shake his head, which was obviously not working, the obstruction making him panic further and she had to put both hands on his face and force him to look at her so he would calm down.

"Easy," she muttered, smiling for his sake. "You'll be fine. Chances are it's nothing, just a big bruise, but with throat injuries we have to be very careful, especially when we have to take asthma into the equation as well. I'm giving you some oxygen now." She pointed at a mask she was holding before slowly bringing it toward his mouth. "That should already make you feel better. But you might need an MRI to rule out anything worse."

She noticed his jaw muscles work, his eyes shutter, but at least he had calmed down a bit.

"We can get you a wheelchair instead of the stretcher if that's better. The main thing is to keep you upright."

"I can. Play.

She scoffed softly. "I'm sure you think so, but I'm not letting you."

He rolled his eyes, his behavior letting her know that he was already doing a bit better again. It had just been a scare. Hopefully…

"Lorenzo, don't fight the doc on this," Klaus piped up beside them, Enzo's gaze flicking up to the man briefly while Bonnie kept looking at him. "We need you back for the rest of the playoffs. Let's just call tonight's game one for the rubbish bin, and start fresh. - Dr. Bennett, take good care of him."

"Will do."

"Nik-"

Klaus waved Enzo off immediately. "No talking, mate. You'll let the doc take care of you. If that involves the hospital, she'll call me and we'll make special arrangements. Correct, Dr. Bennett?"

Nodding, Bonnie looked up at him, and suddenly he didn't seem so bad anymore, suddenly he seemed like he actually cared more about the person than the game, and that was… surprising, and nice.

"Alright. Let's get him out of here," Klaus then added, motioning for someone to help Enzo up again, and when Bonnie eventually got up, too, Klaus abruptly gripped her arm, making her freeze. "I know I don't need to remind you, but…"

"I'll stay by his side." She smiled and Klaus nodded, a strange light in his eyes.

"The media will be all over this, after the Augustine thing. Anything concerning his health…" Klaus trailed off, giving her a pointed look and she stared right back.

"I know."

Klaus nodded yet again, clearly already elsewhere. "I'll need an update so we can make a statement later. I'll make sure no one bothers him, or you. Just… make sure he's okay, and Bonnie?"

"Hm?"

"We need him back ASAP. Damon is good, but… Lorenzo is better."

"Right…"

"How serious is this?"

She took a breath, clenching her hands into fists. "Serious enough for me to want to go be with him instead of talking to _you_," she couldn't help but say, surprised to see a sudden grin appear on his face. "But," she continued with a sigh, "I think he'll be fine. Punches to the throat are a fickle thing - especially when another breathing related illness is involved, and he'll need an MRI. But from what I could see so far, I'm hopeful that some icing and oxygen and rest will already do the trick. Maybe you'll even have him back for one of the next games. _But. _I'm not making any promises. His health comes first. - Now will you excuse me, I got a patient to attend to."

"Of course."

He let go of her as if remembering suddenly that he had still been holding her arm, and she shot him a brief glance before rushing after Enzo, who was already being escorted out in a wheelchair, down the hallway, toward the exam room.

When she reached his side, grabbing his hand, she smiled at him encouragingly, but his gaze was rather dark, his breathing still erratic, and she could tell that he was still rattled.

"Dude, you need to stop having your air supply blocked!"

Damon had appeared out of nowhere just as they had made it to the exam room, and Bonnie noticed that he looked rather shaken himself.

Enzo was rolling his eyes, being helped out of the wheelchair and onto the exam table by one of the assistant coaches and Luke, and Bonnie quickly nodded her thanks.

"Need me to stay?" the coach said, but Bonnie quickly shook her head.

"No, thanks. That'll be all. I'll be out with an update as soon as I got one. Ambulance still on standby?"

"They're ready when you are."

"Good," she nodded to herself, going over her plan in her head, noticing Damon idling by the doorway.

"How's he doing, Bon?"

She exhaled sharply, deciding to wave Damon off for the moment as she focused her attention on Enzo, who was sitting before her now, clutching the edge of the exam table a little too fiercely.

"Hey," she muttered. Her hands cupping his face, she smiled at him and he stared back at her, his breathing still worrying her a bit.

"We'll do an x-ray now, just to see whether there's any not obvious injury to the spine, and then we'll go to the hospital for a quick MRI. I'm hoping you won't have to stay, but I'm not gonna lie to you, if they do find anything, there might be a chance they'll have to keep you. But we'll cross that bridge when we get there. - You think you can handle that?"

"If you stay."

Her smile grew, the urgency in his tone making her heart ache. "Of course."

Carefully, she helped him to lie down briefly, then she took off the brace around his neck, nodding to Luke for assistance as she kept her hands on each side of Enzo's neck, feeling the swollen tissue underneath.

"You'll have to lie still for a few moments while we do the x-ray. You think you can manage?"

"Breathing's still… hard."

"I know… It'll be over in a minute and then you can sit up again, that'll help."

"Okay…"

She couldn't help herself. Seeing him lying there, a bit too pale for her liking, fighting for every breath, made her chest feel too tight and she briefly leaned over and kissed his forehead before getting on her task.

"I love you" she whispered, and the first small smile appeared on his face as he tried to reply, but she silenced him with a finger to his lips. "Ready when you are."

* * *

…

This whole thing bloody sucked. First they had made a mess of the game, and then…

Clenching his hands into fists Enzo tried to breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth, his throat hurting like a bitch, though at least the x-ray hadn't shown anything.

But why the hell did this stuff keep happening? Why did he always end up getting stupid injuries like this? Being elbowed by an opponent wasn't a very graceful or nice experience to begin with, but leave it to him to get elbowed in the bloody throat. As if he didn't have enough trouble with breathing as it was.

Now he was getting prepped for the MRI after a tedious trip over to the hospital, after fighting his usual demons upon entering the bloody building, and when they began moving him into the pipe shaped machine, his breathing was troubling him for a whole other set of reasons that had nothing to do with the stupid elbow punch.

He just hated being confined. The bloody MRI was so damn narrow...

"How long is this gonna take?" he bit out, his voice hoarse and speaking painful, and he only calmed a bit when he heard Bonnie's distant voice over the speaker.

"Just a few minutes. I'll be right here with you, okay? There's just a window between us, but I am here. I'll talk you through it, but you have to stay quiet now, okay? No more talking, no more moving."

Easier said than done. He hated the sounds the machine made, hated the light, the walls that were too close, hated being unable to take deep breaths.

And he hated that he couldn't see her.

Closing his eyes, he dug his fingernails into the palms of his hands as hard as he could, hoping the pain would distract him enough to not make a bloody spectacle of himself and freak out.

.

Half an eternity later, it was over, and as soon as he was out of the tube, he wanted to spring to his feet and leave, get the hell out of there, but Bonnie's hands against his chest made him stop.

"Slowly," she cautioned, and he glowered at her a little upset. Not with her, just… this whole bloody situation. "Good news," she then said, making him feel a little better instantly.

"No hospital?"

Her smile was a relief. "MRI came back clean. Just a whole lot of bruising and swelling that we'll have to monitor, but since you're lucky enough to have a live-in-doctor, I'll allow you to go home."

He let her words sink in. He wouldn't have to stay, could go home, be with her… Touching his throat gingerly, he looked at her. "Still can't… breathe well…"

"I know. We'll get on that. We'll have to ice down the swelling, and we'll have to give you some more oxygen treatments. I also want them to monitor you here for a few more hours."

"You said-"

"Yeah," she cut him off, but smiling, "you won't have to stay here overnight. But a little while longer. I'll be right by your side, though, just like last time, okay?"

He rolled his eyes, but nodded. "Alright, love…"

The way she beamed at him made his own smile grow, the MRI already almost forgotten. Maybe this all wasn't so bad after all. So what if he had had to leave the game, what if they had lost it by almost thirty points in the end? At least he'd get to snuggle with the girl…

He could deal with the rest.

* * *

…

"Enzo, my boy, you need to stop scaring me like that." Damon grinned at his friend, flopping down in a chair by the side of Enzo's bed.

The kid rolled his eyes, lifting an arm to move the oxygen mask on his face to say something, but Bonnie, who was sitting beside him with her legs crossed, shook her head, stilling his movement.

"That stays on," she warned, and Damon had to chuckle at her serious expression and the sass in the way she threw her head back to get hair out of her face.

"You don't wanna mess with this woman," he told Enzo, who shot him a "tell-me-about-it" look that made Bonnie nudge him.

"Hey. You're lucky you have me, Enzo St. John."

"I am," he muttered, barely intelligible, his hand now swiping a few strands of her hair back for her and Damon found himself averting his gaze, suddenly feeling like an intruder.

"Anyways," he said then, "Just wanted to make sure you're alright, my friend. That hit looked pretty nasty." He swallowed, sniffing.

"Didn't feel good either."

"Yeah, I bet." Damon forced a grin on his face to hide the fact that he had suddenly grown a bit emotional. There he had been so jealous of Enzo, so angry and upset with the world lately, when now he realized it really wasn't worth it. This could have gone a whole lot worse, and he wasn't sure he would have been able to handle that. Not after everything he had been through with Enzo. Kid deserved to fucking live.

"Anyways," he then said, "Since I got ejected, Coach was already super pissed at me, so I figured I might as well tell him that I'm considering changing teams at the end of this season. With Anthony Davis likely to leave during the summer, the Pelicans will have a free spot on their team…"

"Damon-" Enzo pulled down his mask after all, looking at him with a frown, but Damon cut him off before he could say any more.

"I won't even have to leave this city. We could still hang out. Plus, we'd get to play against each other. And I don't know about you, but I think that sounds like a hell of a lot of fun."

"Are you sure you want that?" Bonnie asked, absently pushing the oxygen mask back over her boyfriend's mouth, making Damon chuckle at them.

"You two are like an old couple, you know that?"

"Don't change the subject."

Bonnie was relentless. With a sigh, he slowly got up, taking the two steps toward the bed to give Enzo a handshake.

"You get better, brother. And I'll be fine. I thought about this a lot, and… it's the right decision."

"You don't need to... do this because of me-"

"And there, my friend, you're wrong. I do need to do this for you, _and_ for myself. The Hybrids are _your_ team, _your_ success story, and dare I say it, Klaus loves you almost as much as he loves Blondie by his side. And I… I just need a new challenge."

"Their medical staff can't be as good as ours," Bonnie said with a smirk, and Damon smiled - genuinely smiled - because right then he realized that yes, he was indeed sure.

"Trust me, BonBon, this is gonna be awesome." He pulled Enzo toward him a bit, placing a rough kiss on his friend's forehead that made Enzo roll his eyes at him, and Damon had to chuckle before moving on to Bonnie, kissing her, too, if a lot gentler. "Love you two," he told them as he pushed himself off the bed, getting ready to leave. "And now excuse me, I have a date with a hot girl - and it looks like you might have better plans too…"

With that he swaggered out the door, not once looking back, because he knew these two would be fine. And so would he.


	27. This is only the beginning

_Last one. Thanks for being along for the ride. I am grateful for the kind feedback._

_Guest: thank you! I hope the ending will be okay for you. But as is always the case with endings, it might not be good enough for everyone. If you have any questions left, I'm happy to reply on my profile page - or maybe I'll update this last chapter with a note for you…_

_Or I'll get it into my head and post the cheesy peak into the future I've started writing just for myself..._

_Anyways. Here it is:_

* * *

…

They left the hospital late. It was almost two o'clock at night, and in any other case Bonnie would have insisted they wait until morning now, but Enzo was already so restless and on edge that she was worried it'd soon start interfering with his finally recovered breathing ability, so she decided to stick with the initial plan.

He was holding her in a sideways hug, tucked against his left side as they were walking, and Bonnie looked up at him with a smile, her own arm circling his waist.

"Klaus said to use the Eastern entrance," she informed him, and he shot her a glance, opening his mouth to speak, but she shook her head.

"Nuh uh. No talking, babe. Give your throat some rest."

His bemused look made her chuckle. At least he did heed her words and kept quiet. But since she knew what was on his mind, she added, "He says there's less chance of us running into anyone that way…"

She didn't have to elaborate, they both knew that she meant the reporters of course, and she saw him clench his jaw at the mere mention. The timing for another hospital stint couldn't possibly have been much worse. So soon after the goshdarn press conference the media would be all over this.

Tightening her grip on Enzo, Bonnie smiled at him encouragingly.

"Come on, let's go. We'll be quick, and if we do encounter any unwanted attention, you have the best excuse for not commenting. - And I am bound by doctor-patient confidentiality."

"Which in itself will make them-"

"Shh," she interrupted him, gently tugging at the arm he had lifted to hold a hand over his throat because it was clearly still painful to speak. "It doesn't matter what they think or what they'll write. What matters is that you're okay, and that we'll get you to bed now, stat. The sooner we get you home, the better, and with any luck you might be back for the third or fourth game." Shooting him a glance, she put a hand over his mouth quickly, anticipating him to argue despite her warning not to speak, then she continued, "And I know you want to play the next one, too, but that ain't happening. Too early. So you better get used to the idea now."

"They need me," he rasped, his voice hoarse but oh so hot and Bonnie felt an answering tingle of her body. It was like his bedroom voice had come out to play...

Shaking her head to stay focused, she looked at him reprimandingly. "And I need you to shut up already," she said. "What did I tell you? - If you do want to play again soon, listen to what I say."

He mouthed a grudging "fine", scoffing, and she leaned in to him more.

"It'll be better in no time. You just need a little patience…"

Which of course he didn't have.

* * *

...

They managed to get out of the hospital and into their apartment undetected, and by the time Enzo had finally taken a real shower and put on some fresh clothes - just some sweatpants and a t-shirt, he felt like a real person again - an extremely tired real person.

Letting himself fall into bed, he closed his eyes, his legs still firmly planted on the ground, but he didn't care. He could probably fall asleep just like that.

"Enzo…"

Blinking, he looked up at Bonnie. The amusement in her voice had been rather obvious, and the big smile on her face only highlighted it more.

"You know we'll have to make you sleep elevated, right?"

A sigh escaped him and he gave her a look. He didn't like sleeping like that. Maybe it helped with breathing, but it did not help with sleeping, and he was so bloody ready to just shut his eyes and doze off with her.

"Come on, love, lay down with me," he muttered, patting the spot beside him, ignoring her words for a moment and when she climbed into bed, stretching out beside him, laying an arm over his chest, her head nestled in the crook of his arm, he smiled over at her, and she smiled right back.

Closing his eyes again, he enjoyed a few minutes of peaceful snuggling with her, before his throat's reminders of the punch became too strong to ignore anymore and with a sigh and a grimace, he grudgingly pulled himself up, Bonnie following along.

She was kind enough to keep the "I told you" to herself, although he could see it written all over her face.

"Come on," she said with a grin, "Let's get you comfortable."

"I'm always comfortable with you by my side…"

Scoffing, she rolled her eyes, but her smile betrayed her, growing as she went to work. "Well then... let's make you even more comfortable. How's that sound?"

Climbing into the bed, where she was already busy piling the stupid pillows up, he came over to her, nuzzling her neck, and she began giggling, urging him to stop.

"You need rest, Mister." She shot him a pointed glance, their faces a mere inch apart as he tilted his head to look at her, her nice soft lips, her gorgeous green eyes, that beautiful skin… Leaning in, he kissed her, slow, careful, before he felt her hands pressing against his chest, felt her shake her head, even though she was still kissing him back for a moment longer before finally pulling away.

"Enzo…" There was a chiding undertone in the way she said his name, then she gave a sigh. "We can't do that…"

"Why not?"

Scoffing, she gave him this look that made him smirk and frown at the same time, his mind not quite willing to work rationally.

"'Why not?' - Enzo St. John, you were this close to having to spend the entire night at the hospital!"

"But I didn't."

"No, you didn't. And I'd like to keep it that way. You need rest now. _Sleep_."

"I need _you…_"

Bonnie chuckled, cupping his face as she placed a gentle and too chaste kiss on his forehead.

"I need you, too, hence my insistence on you getting sleep."

"You're no fun, love," he said, reluctantly allowing her to push him against the pillows, but pulling her with him at the same time, making her laugh.

"I don't need to be fun. But clearly I need to be the voice of reason." Her finger came up to his mouth as he wanted to argue yet again and she shook her head. "Shhhh," she made, one of her hands caressing the side of his neck, careful not to touch the bruised area, and the look she gave him, the smile, slowly faded off her face, making room for something else, and he could hear her sigh before she slowly came closer, leaning in until her lips touched his, not quite a kiss yet, but his body was already responding. His heart thudding, he abruptly pushed himself up a little more, with his hands swiping her hair back before he cupped her chin, kissing her for real, ignoring the signals of discomfort coming from his throat because other parts of him wanted this more than they minded the pain, wanted this woman…

"Enzo, we really shouldn't-"

Her meek protests ebbed away as he continued to kiss his way down, and soon, she hadn't just given up reprimanding him, but was even actively helping him get access to her body.

"Promise me you'll stop if it's too much," she breathed at some point, when their clothes had already ended in a pile beside them, before she gasped out with pleasure as his fingers felt their way between her legs, trailing up the soft skin, his eyes now on her as he watched her features soften.

"Giving you pleasure could never be too much, Bonnie Bennett," he breathed, then pulled her closer until she was sitting on him, until he could see all of her, every last gorgeous inch of her body, and…

.

With a shudder, Bonnie fell back on the bed, feeling a giggle making its way out of her.

"What was that?" she asked, eventually rolling to the side where Enzo was lying, smiling at her in a rather cocky way. The bastard knew that he was _good_. Too good. Because she had totally lost herself in him and the way he had caressed her body, had made her cum, not just once, either… She felt another wave of heat make its way to her cheeks at the thought and she touched them with her cooler hands. "Is that your idea of rest?" she asked a little breathlessly, looking at him with a disbelieving grin. She should have really been more insistent about the rest and sleep, but…

Oh gosh, it had been so nice...

"Uh huh…" His nonchalant reply made her chuckle, then kiss his forehead.

"Okay, Mister St. John. - But now put some clothes back on and sleep! It's almost morning! Geez, how long did we-"

"Make love?"

"You're such a romantic," she told him, "I was gonna say 'have sex', but yeah… _that._ I should have never let you do that. What kind of doctor am I, huh? Clearly a selfish one…"

"You're the best doctor, love. You're mine…"

She smiled at him, noticing that his eyes were closed now where he still lay beside her, stark naked just like her, and when she gently nudged him, he moved his arm and pulled her closer toward him.

"Let's get dressed," she muttered, caressing his cheek, but he still wasn't looking, his breathing already evening out, and she couldn't help but smile as fondness washed over her. He was so exhausted… Intertwining her body with his a bit more, trying to pull the blanket over them both a little, she settled on just letting him be. There was no need for clothes now. That could wait till later.

Now it was time for sleep. Finally…

* * *

…

For two games the team had to make do without Lorenzo, falling back on Damon, and Klaus had to grudgingly admit that the Vampire had been good, had saved their asses. Still, once his fellow Brit was fit to play again, the coach let him play from the start again, just like Klaus had insisted he do - if for a restricted amount of minutes. Bonnie Bennett hadn't lied. She took her job seriously, and she didn't make exceptions for her own boyfriend.

The kid had been desperate to play, Klaus had heard him argue with Bonnie over the return, but she had stayed her ground, and Klaus… had had her back.

"Listen to your girl, Lorenzo," he had told him, "I made the mistake of not doing that before and it didn't end too well. So…"

"You're on her side."

Klaus had winked at him. "I've always been on your side - just like her," he had muttered into the other man's ear with a pat on the back, then he had walked away, letting a disgruntled Lorenzo come to terms with it, and that had been that. But now he was glad that his best three-point shooter was back, in time to keep the small chance up that they could still beat the Rockets.

… And when that actually happened, when they not only made it to a seventh game but actually won it, too, he knew it had been the right decision to listen to that girl. Bonnie Bennett knew her stuff, and Lorenzo knew his. The kid even seemed to be getting better and better, despite all the troubles he had had to go through within the last months, and it made Klaus's heart do some rather strange things. He really did care about this boy, who wasn't a boy anymore...

"You okay?"

He turned, jolted out of his musings by the most gorgeous girl, and smiling, he gazed at her: Caroline Forbes."

Of course, luv. Couldn't be more okay."

"Great," she said, beaming, and something told her that this woman had an agenda today. Sure enough, she continued, "Then I hope you'll help me with something."

Raising an eyebrow, he pulled her toward him until he could put his arm around her, and she grabbed his hand, chuckling when he asked,"Am I going to like this?"

"Um…"

Rolling his eyes, he shook his head at himself when he realized that he was totally going to grant her whatever wish she could possibly have. This woman… had made him fall head over heels in love, and it was changing him in unexpected ways. He was growing soft, wasn't he?

But maybe that wasn't so bad. Maybe it was time to focus more on the good things, to allow himself to enjoy life and not just see it as a constant competition. Because he had already won the biggest prize anyways: this woman he was going to propose to soon…

"Alright," he therefore said, breathing in the scent of her hair, "try me."

* * *

...

They'd have to play the Warriors next. Everyone already knew that they were probably not going to be able to beat them and make it to the finals. But the Hybrids had come so far, and they were not going to give up without a fierce fight.

They wanted this win. Enzo wanted it, Damon wanted it - it would be such a nice ending of his stint with the team. They all wanted it. And Bonnie was no exception. At some point during her time with the team, she had truly become a part of it, and she wanted to win just as much as the players themselves.

So when she and Enzo made their way over to the stadium on game night, she was elsewhere with her thoughts, for once not minding the attention, the cameras. They had become background noise, and people had finally begun to focus back on the game and leave Enzo alone with their too personal questions about his past torments.

But then, when they had just made it into the building and down the hallway, an all too familiar voice suddenly piped up somewhere behind her, and she froze, Enzo immediately aware that something was going on.

"Are you alright, love? What is it?" He frowned, looking from her to where she was staring now, her heart beating up to her throat. She felt his grip on her tighten, and it was strangely soothing. Because right there in the hallway, wearing a Golden State hoodie, was Jeremy Gilbert, her ex-boyfriend.

As if to taunt her, her phone was beeping just then and when she absently checked it, she almost had to laugh.

The message had been sent half an hour ago but had only been delivered just now, a message from Elena, Jeremy's sister and her good friend.

_~ Hope you see this in time! Jer is in town. Apparently he's working for Golden State as a press liaison kind of guy. ~_

Then another:

_~ So sorry, Bon. I only just found out! Elijah and I were so busy with the clinic! - Hope you won't run into him ~_

_~ I love him, but I'll never forgive him for what he did to you ~_

Yeah, Bonnie thought, that made two of them. Of course she couldn't blame Elena. Jeremy was family. But… Bonnie would have rather never seen him again.

"Bonnie?" Enzo asked, tugging her arm lightly until she looked up to him at exactly the same time that Jeremy spotted her.

"Bonnie?!" he exclaimed, breaking into a too big grin, and she cringed inwardly, making a bemused face. "I didn't think I'd see you here! Of course I read that you and…" Jeremy trailed off as he walked toward them, with his gaze scrutinizing Enzo beside Bonnie, "Lorenzo, is it? That you two are dating, but… I guess I didn't think it was actually true..." He moved to hug her, and for some reason Bonnie let it happen, finding herself awkwardly patting her ex's back before they finally parted. "It's so good to see you!"

"Yeah," Bonnie made, quickly shrinking back against Enzo, feeling his arm come around her and pull her to his side. Leaning down toward her slightly, he muttered a suspicious sounding, "He a friend of yours?" And she almost had to chuckle before she bit out a mere, "Cheating ex…"

"Ah," he made, straightening to his full height again to squint down on the much shorter Jeremy, and Bonnie had to bite her lip to keep from grinning at seeing his alpha male spiel displayed.

"So, you guys think you'll have chance?" Jeremy asked, looking slightly flustered as he was rather desperately trying to keep a conversation going that didn't involve their awkward past, and Bonnie clicked her tongue when he added, "I mean, we've won the last few years, and with five All-Stars we're pretty much unbeatable…"

"Didn't know you were playing," Enzo said before Bonnie had a chance to reply, and she could barely suppress a snort at the resulting expression on Jeremy's face.

He let his gaze wander from Bonnie to Enzo, looking up at the other man with an awkward half-grin, when he replied with a weird little chuckle, "No, I'm not a player on the team, I just… do press work for them? That kinda stuff. Have only been doing the job for a couple of months…"

"So _you _have had nothing to do with their wins. Certainly not in 'the last few years.'" Enzo's cold conclusion made Bonnie want to laugh, but she managed to compose herself enough to not do it, nudging her boyfriend beside her to take it easy, but the way he still held her protectively - maybe even a little possessively - in his arm, showed her just how serious this was for him, and she had to admit to herself that it felt kind of nice.

"Well, no," Jeremy admitted just then, chuckling that chuckle again. It was so obvious that Jeremy was starting to grow rather uncomfortable and Bonnie almost felt pity for him. Almost. "But yeah, anyways. I was just… it's good to see you, Bonnie. I guess we'll see more of each other again." He licked his lip, fidgeting a little when she didn't say anything in return, when Enzo still stared at him. Then he continued, "Maybe we can catch up after the game. I do owe you an apology, and I'd like to take you - you guys? - out for a drink somewhere perhaps?"

"Jer…," Bonnie started, already trailing off because what the hell did he think he was doing? Did he think they could be friends now? After he had cheated on her with another girl, had left Bonnie for her, too?

No, she didn't need this kind of drama in her life. The things she had been through with Enzo had been enough to deal with, she did not need to add any drama of her own. Abso-freaking-lutely not.

Enzo gave her a gentle nudge, when she stood there, all frozen and mute, and the way he looked at her, so full of concern and… love, it made her smile up at him.

"Want me to take care of him?" he muttered so quietly that Jeremy wouldn't hear, but Bonnie chuckled softly as she shook her head. That he was willing to do it was enough. But she got this. Then, turning toward her ex again, she shook her head in a more pronounced way.

"I don't think so, Jer. Thanks for the apology, though, I do appreciate that. But… Honestly, if it weren't for Elena, I wouldn't even be talking to you right now. You and I… I have absolutely no place for you in my life anymore." She felt Enzo squeeze her, and out of the corner of her eye noticed the proud look he gave her and it made her square her shoulders a little more as she leaned into him even more. To hen she looked at Jeremy before her, who seemed a bit shaken by her words.

"I guess I deserve that," he allowed, grinning a sad grin, and Bonnie had to smile at him.

"You kinda really do. And now excuse us, we need to get ready."

Then she and Enzo turned around again, Enzo gently pulling Bonnie with him, and when they both continued their way down toward the lockers, he suddenly pulled her even closer, kissing her so passionately that her heart skipped a beat, then, when he pulled away again, she had to steady herself against his chest for a few seconds, chuckling.

"What was that for?"

He wagged an eyebrow at her. "I love you, Bonnie Bennett, what other reason do I need?"

Smiling, she got on her tiptoes to kiss him yet again.

"Thank you," she muttered, then intertwined her arm with his as they kept walking away - away not only from the demons of his past, but hers too.

It wouldn't all be better overnight, she knew that, but eventually they'd be free of the people that had hurt them so much. Eventually it would only be him and her, the doctor and the baller, Bonnie and Enzo, and nothing and no one could ever come between them.

Whether he'd be able to help his team beat the Warriors, whether she'd really stay on the medical staff for another season, all these things didn't really matter. They'd deal with them, they'd find their way. As long as they had each other.

* * *

…

* * *

...

_And that's it! I'm sorry for leaving this so "in medias res" - but there's so much still to explore with these two that I felt this was a fitting ending for this story that can now be spun on in my mind - and yours too, if you feel so inclined. _

_I'd be so happy to hear what you thought, but I realize that only a few brave and kind readers ever leave a review._

_Special thanks to Guest and Jade(dcorn), but also deenew and DancesWithButterflies for leaving the most reviews. You guys are amazing!_

_I do have the beginnings of another idea for Bonenzo whirling around my head, but we shall see…_

_Thanks!_


End file.
